An audit conducted by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has found that local telecommunications companies have been providing sub-par 3G services to consumers. This was largely attributed to the cost-effective measures taken by the telcos by utilizing a lower frequency band instead of the primary band recommended by MCMC.
According to the commission, most local telcos resorted to employing 3G towers on the 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands instead of the primary 2100MHz band. These lower frequency bands have greater reach, allowing for less 3G towers to be built, but at the cost of lesser data capacity that can be carried on the network. As a result of this prioritisation of coverage over optimum data speeds, consumers are left with slower-than-usual 3G speeds.
As a telco expert revealed to The Star:
“Some players have economised on investing in 2,100MHz to push coverage instead of higher capacity and speed. They are trying to compromise on quality. They may be stretching their dollar by not putting in enough base stations despite having made a lot of money all these years.”
The MCMC has issued a warning to all local telcos, informing them to have a plan ready by the end of the year to fix the issue, failing which the commission will be issuing heavy fines.
(Source: The Star)
example : umobile @ Kuching
Now MCMA you deserve a pat on your back. It is about time the telcos upgrade the speed and also the coverage.
c’mon the speed is not consistent. sometimes cant even open google website. we pay every ringgit to get the best of internet speed.
I’d been complaining to Digi and Maxis but to no avail. It’s weird that in the same area LTE’s speed is ok. Thanks MCMC for this however, I do not think these fine will deter them as they had been fined before.
telco’s these days are making so much money that they can actually afford to pay fines year after year. Unless mcmc get to issue a revoke letter, i doubt this issue will take a long time to get done with.
good
it’s about time MCMC take action. The have taken a lot of easy money nowadays.
>”push coverage instead of higher capacity and speed”
Reminds me of current Maxis.
This is BS , want coverage , complain no speed.
Give speed , complain no coverage.
When build more tower for speed + coverage, you come out protest as building tower nearby.
What You Want ?????????
You’re BS, they can build more towers in lands where no people live, there’s plenty of lands in Malaysia. Or they can build it around the hills/mountains.
Malaysia’s people been suffer enough since the introduction of mobile broadband. They pay more money than they surf the net, plus the overcharge bills.
Then there will demo save forest, save mountain..by green shirts
This is not BS. This is getting what we paid for. We were promised XXX MB/s and you advertised to everyone how you have ‘the best coverage’ in the country. Nobody put a gun to your head to make those promises.
Your inability to deliver on what you promise is NOT your customer’s problem. It is YOUR problem. And if you continue to accept money for services not rendered as per the agreement of your contract, you are in breach and subject to us suing you.
i think the real issue is why now? Before this mcmc received many of consumer complaint ranging from coverage issue to hidden charge bill. I can say is the matter slowly remedied, over the years, meaning these companies just get away with everything they do while not admitting any wrongdoing. Now that 3g is at the end of its lifespan, mcmc came and say telcos need to fix it – i think telco certaintly will get away, again, becuse of the shift to LTE.
i smell government conspiracy + illuminati + yahudi + NSA. it must be it.
YES, agreed! The real issue is WHY NOW? It should have not been NOW. It is more appropriate for MCMC to address this issue next year or better in 2020.
Bodoh lah ini olang. Mau take action also complaint.. i know u now complaining about me complain to you right?.. malaysian like that lahh.. everday everything complainssss
@Andrew
You’re BS, they could build those towers around hills/mountains area where rarely any people live nowadays.
Malaysia’s people been suffer enough from snail slow internet speed and little quota(I meant it) ever since the introduction of mobile broadband. People pay more money than they surf then net, plus those overcharge bills.
At sea better wat…
I think there is a mistake. There are no phone support 3G in 1800Mhz. Furthermore they are using 1800Mhz for LTE. Who ever write this need to re-check back.
Malaysia is using 1800Ghz band for 3G since years ago and 2100Ghz band for LTE , those telco that using 1800Ghz LTE are actually borrow their 3G bandwidth for the sake of using iPhone with LTE(iphone dont support 2100Ghz).
@ Andrew.. Have to make a correction.. 3G is only deployed using 900MHz and 2100MHz.. LTE on the other hand are deployed in 1800MHz and 2600MHz, at least in Malaysia
There’s also no such 3G devices supporting 1800Mh..
As for coverage, you are totally right. People know nuts about how telco coverage.. Might as well put it under the sea or river for that matter…
now only talking about 3G?
we are in the era of LTE. why still wanna bother about 3G. make sure they dont do the same with LTE
@Lens , @Lame
The real problem is that BTS (Site/Tower) can’t provide enough traffic to users, especially in congested areas where network traffic is always high. In 3G, you might get good RSCP (Received Scrambling Code Power), but poor EC/IO (Power transmit / Initial TX interference ratio). Building a new site (tower) is the good answer, but building at high places where no one lives serves no purpose. 3G (W2100/ W900) RF serves at at fair distance of 1-3km (Urban/Sub-Urban) and 4-9km (Rural Areas). Lets Hope MCMC allows In-Building Solution for Condos and Aparments apart from Office Building / Shopping complex’s only.
@Shay
Yup. Not all phones support 3G 1800. If 1900, there are a few.
This show what ppl know about telco, you build tower inside jungle/mountain , who going to benefit it ??????
You think one tower build inside Pahang jungle can cover whole KL ??????? Put tower nearby your house then you come with protest banner, and you still complain no coverage in your house ?????
They can put a tower behind my house for all I care. You don’t see me protesting.
Telcos shouldn’t make promises they can’t keep. I use Umobile & Maxis. More often than not I can’t even load Google page in supposedly urban areas like Pavilion or Midvalley. At full bar! They deserve to be punished.
@bart.. u’re talking about yourself, but what about the rest? Some of those bugger will definitely protest, that includes local council, and state officials.. Better if MCMC deal with those buggers as well..
@4M01 – Of course la I was talking about myself. Please read first what Andrew wrote. I was responding to his over-generalization that ‘people’ complain too much. He doesn’t speak for me.
Telcos must come clean about this. If problem is with another party, why the hell keep quiet about it and let customers suffer.
Our local telcos are cartels. Services still the same, previously MCMC had fined 300k think would affect their revenue?
MCMC…time to slap them with fine again
LTE are their main focus…..thus causing 3G service like rubbish
Ipoh on ly have LTE in 2 areas which is as big as a football field for both. 1.) Aeon Shopping Center & 2) Ipoh Maxis HQ….still 3G in ipoh like piece of shit…
means LTE or not, 3G still sucks..got it?
I think MCMC should not only fines the telcos but also put a sanction to them so that no more new businesses until the problem are fixed. Then they will do something in order to pursue new business.
Its true andrew. Two weeks ago, telco dunno which wanna setup nearby my area. I was so happy to know that as near my place, 3g is suck. But somehow, got people protest due hazard la bla blah blah.. then now they cancel the site. The tower is so tall..
yup, same at my area Taman Desa but was solved within 2 days where they told the telco to build it on top of the hill.
Kudos to MCMC. Just don’t complain about radiation when more towers are put up. You can’t keep the cake and eat it..
isue need to be resolved or worst would come
the problem is the charged for 3g is expensive ,that not including call charges.but when surf the internet slow like hell..sometimes lost 3g line, but if i miss payment for that month,,line barred,but when the service suck..they dont repay us..and then the MCMC..is like doing nothing..lot of complain..but only now to take action..
Have you ever file official complaint to MMC?
I have and i can say their respond is pretty good and get the telcos to refund my money.
As for TM, i complaint to them when their service was slow due to some incident and i got money back for that period.
If you just rant on the internet without raising official complaints, please don’t say that MMC didn’t do anything because you didn’t do anything to help yourself in the first place.
Fine them won’t work.
They have lots of money ripping off from consumers. MMC should take away their 3G/4G license. Then they will start to do something.
Celcom… Fast 3G connection at my hometown Muar / Pagoh. But sometimes i do only get Edge or GPRS in the heart of KL. A few time no coverage when i went to lowyat and Sg Wang. More user at the same place, chances u will get shitty coverage. Go to the same place different time, service will improve drastically. Became worst when telco try to fight for 4G.
why can’t we demand good internet? it’s now like breathing air, an essential part of being human.
broadband telco cut speed after exceeds quota limit. After that u can’t surf internet smoothly even open the google homepage! WTF
fine at least 4-5 millions lah. hundred thousands ringgit is nothing.
Can MCMC/SKMM for once publish their claimed audit report, so to shade more light and we could have more insight. most of the government body just “light” a match and lets the public jump on it. Debating over the same experience, which is true, but i would really like to see what is MCMC auditing at ….