It’s funny, but only after a year, I can really feel the effect that RedesignMalaysia has had. Strangely, only now people are starting to call and contact, expressing interest in this site, give invitations to speaking engagements, or comissioning research, or my opinion on several items. Including:

- Broadband companies
- Companies commisioned to do research on broadband
- Government linked agencies

This is a welcome change, and hopefully results in some earnings. It wasn’t easy to compile the information here and update it (yes, sorry for the lack of frequent updates like last time). RedesignMalaysia.com has been running at an absolute loss, as our aim is more to inform and reform rather than make a huge amount of money. Save for the money earned from Google Adsense, a whopping USD150 in nearly a year, and from Advertlets, which doesn’t really count since I own that, there has been nothing else earned.

Its going to be a busy month If all goes well, over the next few months you’ll see some new content, new features, participation from related companies and agencies and hopefully staff writers as well, as more funding takes this site to become more formidable in the quest for better broadband.

We’re trying something new here - and we’ll like to offer a win-win situation for our readers. We are now selling prepaid top up credit for Maxis Hotlink, Celcom Xpax and TM iTalk from RM10-RM60. No need to go to the shops to buy prepaid credit - you can do it from your computer. Got a Maybank account, and e-mail address and a mobile phone? Drop an e-mail to info@redesignmalaysia.com with how much credit you’ll like to buy and we’ll get back to you. After you make payment, you will receive your top-up number via SMS.

Help RedesignMalaysia.com contine to offer broadband news and analysis, cover our hosting and maintenance costs. If we get a good response from this, we will be able to perhaps offer discounts on top up credit in future (eg, buy RM60 worth of credit but pay only RM59.80 - you get a couple of SMS free). Cheers.

I got a bit of a surprise yesterday - a representative from an internet service provider actually called my handphone and told me that they want to add their details to the Internet Service Provider page on RedesignMalaysia. They’re called SmartMalaysia, and they provide satellite broadband services across Asia, and the whole of Malaysia, apparently. Basically you will need to install a satellite dish in your home, which is about twice the size of the Astro dish. Looking at their landing page, it seems a bit pricey (starting from RM350), however, further digging reveals that they have home packages starting from RM150. The representative also told me that they are most active in some areas in Sabah & Sarawak and some rural/obscure areas in Malaysia that Streamyx is unwilling to service.

When I asked how they found about the RedesignMalaysia site, they told me it was through searching on Google. Apparently we’re result #6 for malaysia broadband. Yay!

If it really does what it does, I’m most likely signing up. I wonder why they seem to be rather under-publicised though, given the apparent scope of their service and their proactiveness in calling me. Will be meeting them somewhere over the next few weeks, will let all of you know how it goes. Other service providers - you can call me during office hours at 012-3119141 to add your coverage to the map or your details to the ISP list. Remember, the easier you make it to find your service, the more likely you are to attract customers…

Josh

Jaring Communications Sdn Bhd is looking to grow its high-speed Internet broadband subscriber base through strategic partnerships with housing developers.

It has tied up with property developer, Asia Pacific Land Bhd (AP Land) and Internet service provider, BTP Wireless Sdn Bhd, to provide wireless broadband services at AP Land’s Bandar Tasik Puteri township development.

Read the full article at The Edge DailyÂ

Fung said Cosmoscape plans to use the show as part of its contribution to the Government’s effort to increase the public’s awareness of these technologies.
Read the full article at The Star Online Tech Central

The government may allow new local and foreign players to provide broadband service if the existing ones do not make the service more affordable and improve the infrastructure.

Minister of Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said Malaysia wanted to develop a knowledge-based economy, and one of the key requirements is the availability of broadband.

However, the county’s current broadband penetration was only less than 1% compared with 78% and 34% for South Korea and Singapore, he added.

Read the full article at The Edge Daily

Time dotCom Bhd has tied up with CommVerge Solutions and Navini Networks Inc to deploy the first non-line-of-sight (NLOS) wireless broadband network in Malaysia.

Read the full article at The Edge Daily