The Star
18 May 2006

Kuala Lumpur: Jaring Communications Sdn Bhd, Asia Pacific Land Bhd (AP Land) and BTP Wireless Sdn Bhd have forged a strategic partnership to provide wireless broadband Internet access to residents in Bandar Tasik Puteri Rawang, Selangor.

Representatives from the companies said the first phase of the project would target the 8,000 households in the township.

Pelancaran Jalur lebar Tanpa Wayar Jaring (Jaring WiFi Broadband)

Launching of Jaring WiFi Broadband

Jaring chief executive officer Dr Mohamed Awang Lah told a media conference after the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the three companies that the project would allow subscribers from the township to access Jaring’s broadband Internet anywhere in Malaysia.

“The subscribers’ access will not be limited to Bandar Tasik Puteri – it will be nationwide. However, BTP Wireless will be our facilitator in the township,” Mohamed said.

He said with BTP Wireless being “local” to Bandar Tasik Puteri, it would be best facilitator as the company would undertand the residents’ needs and alert Jaring on further opportunities.

Mohamed added: “While this is only an MoU signing, we should be seeing infrastructure for this joint project begin set up in 90 days. The agreement should be formalised very soon.”

Jaring currently has about 700,000 active subscribers, a “small fraction” of which are broadband subscribers.

AP Land joint managing director Low Su-Ming said the company could finish building the remaning 17,000 homes in Bandar Tasik Puteri within the next five years if the property “momentum” from recent years could be maintained.

“Realistically, however, we are looking at completing these houses in the next eight to 10 years,” she said.

She said the project broadband package served as a promotion to house buyers in the township, but reiterated AP Land was focused on the long-term goal of providing the “basic infrastructure”, which now included Internet access, to homes.

The broadband access will be priced at RM84 monthly, but it is unclear how the fees will be divided among the three, if at all, even though Low said the joint project was of equal share.

She added that AP Land would be looking for new opportunities to increase its landbank as well.