KUALA LUMPUR, 6 APRIL 2009 -- Malaysian WiMAX firm Packet One Networks (Malaysia) (P1) has launched its 4G high-speed wireless broadband service, P1 W1MAX, in Penang.
P1 chief executive officer Michael Lai said the network expansion to Penang marks another milestone in the company’s pursuit to hit its targeted 35 per cent nationwide population coverage within 2009.
Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng said: “I commend P1’s aggressive network and sales rollout. The P1 W1MAX launch in Penang marks a very important milestone for the ambitious operator in pursuit of its noble mission to provide ubiquitous high-quality broadband for all.”
P1’s Lai said the company also launched the P1 P1stop customer service and sales centre, a one-stop centre, located in Bay Avenue, which would also serve as a hub for P1’s northern region operations.
P1’s Penang launch also marks the progression of the WiMAX@Penang initiative first announced late last year. In September 2008, the Penang state government and P1 entered into a partnership whereby P1 would deploy the infrastructure for WiMAX@Penang under the Wireless@Penang initiative.
WiMAX@Penang
“This Wireless@Penang effort is 100 per cent private-sector driven with nearly no or minimal costs put in by the state government, and that there are no rights to exclusivity and all qualified and recognised industry players are welcome in the interests of promoting competition,” said Lai.
He said the first phase of WiMAX@Penang project started in October 2008, with the deployment of P1 base stations to cover areas around Georgetown and parts of Seberang Prai. In January this year, prior to today’s launch, P1 had successfully conducted a P1 WiMAX test-drive where a large number of Penang residents previewed the superior performance of wireless broadband via WiMAX technology.
“Our decisions are guided by those who are very important to us, our customers,” said Lai. “Our openness and diligence in putting into action what the consumers want is the key to our success for now and in the future. In that respect, today, P1 is simply giving Penang what its people wants, that is, a reliable high-quality, high-performance, affordable broadband service.”
He added that P1 aimed to have more than 50 sites up and running in Penang across the coming months to ensure that the P1 WiMAX service availability is well up to the task of meeting the expected demand for the affordable, high-performance wireless broadband on the island.
