KUALA LUMPUR: Good news for KLites: limited wireless broadband access will be a thing of the past this time next year.
It will operate on WiMax technology operating on the 2.3GHz spectrum at a speed of 512 kilobytes per second.
"The project is one of the pioneer projects under the 'Klang Valley Broadband Push' (KVB90) to transform Kuala Lumpur into a wireless city with WiMax-based broadband," said Datuk Bandar Datuk Abdul Hakim Borhan at the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony yesterday.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Packet One Networks (M) Bhd signed the deal yesterday.
Packet One Networks (formerly known as MIBCOMM Sdn Bhd) will from next month begin installing 1,500 Wi-Fi stations around the city in commercial areas, offices, residential areas, community centres and other public areas.
By September, the service will be available to 80 per cent of Kuala Lumpur, and it will be available for free for the first two years. In the following two phases, 2,000 more stations will be installed.
"We will be the first in the country to deploy WiMax on the 2.3GHz spectrum," said Packet One chief executive officer Michael Lai.
"The first phase will cost RM60 million. RM10 million will come from City Hall and MCMC, while the rest will be borne by Packet One," said Hakim.
He added that the project would open up business opportunities and give the tourism industry a boost. It would also help close the digital divide by making the technology accessible to the middle- and low-income groups.
MCMC manages KVB90, which is aimed at increasing broadband usage in homes in the Klang Valley to 90 per cent by 2010.
Broadband penetration was measured at 36.1 per cent last June. In contrast, it was 86 per cent in Taipei, 75 per cent in Hong Kong and 73 per cent in Singapore.
