Broadband blues

By G. Sharmila

In this five-part series KiniBiz sings the Broadband Blues. We begin at looking at where Malaysia went wrong as broadband speed and affordability remains a critical, unresolved issue. In the second part we point out what Malaysia can learn from South Korea which has been very successful in increasing broadband penetration. In the next instalment, MCMC chairman Mohamed Sharil Mohamed Tarmizi and Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek, director at Pemandu, reply to criticisms that broadband is expensive and slow in Malaysia. Part 4 leads us to Telekom Malaysia’s monopoly over the provision of basic broadband infrastructure and its drive for profit, which is likely to keep broadband prices in Malaysia high. Finally we look at a perennial problem in Malaysia, where relative to income, broadband prices are still hig. With industry experts and analysts saying that prices are not going to come off anytime soon, can measures be taken to remedy the current situation?