Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Altel looks like it’s ready to join the big leagues. The company, which provides prepaid services including LTE leveraging on Celcom’s LTE network, has signed an agreement with Huawei to build its own LTE network.
Interestingly, Altel will still be piggybacking on Celcom’s existing LTE network as per its original agreement. The new 4G LTE network it is building will serve to work alongside Celcom’s infrastructure. This move will see Altel finally utilizing its 20% bandwidth allocation as awarded to parent company Puncak Semangat by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) way back in 2012. It is a highly intriguing one, too, as it could mean that Altel plans to upgrade from just an MVNO to a proper telecommunications provider.
Altel’s partnership with Huawei will see the latter providing wireless, core, transport and billing services to Altel, as well as business consultation services. According to Altel CEO Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Yaacob, Altel will continue to invest in its own radio network over the next five years.
This would be good news to Altel’s existing user base of around 20,000 nationwide and will surely increase the existing 2,500 authorised dealers in the future.
(Source: The Sun)
