Unifi to increase subscriber base to 1.5m this year

KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s Unifi brand, which consolidated its business units under one roof, is targeting 1.5 million broadband subscribers this year, from both the household and business space.
As part of its convergence plan, Unifi has put all of its products – namely its broadband service Unifi home, Unifi mobile which is a rebranded version of Webe, Unifi TV (formerly HyppTV) and its public wifi service Unifi wifi – under a single brand.
Speaking to reporters at the launching ceremony of the refreshed Unifi brand, executive vice-president Imri Mokhtar said he was hopeful that with the launch of new services under the refreshed brand the group would be able to reach its target of expanding its broadband service subscriber base by 500,000. It’s subscribers base for the segment stood at 1 million as at June 2017.
Meanwhile, for its mobile unit, the group also launched a new service known as #BEBAS, which is a hybrid of prepaid and postpaid that enables customers to select their data and usage requirements with no credit deadline.
With this service, Unifi is looking to attract about 8-10% of its broadband services subscriber base as potential customers for Unifi mobile.
“We believe that we have to do what is best for the customer and earnings and revenue will come,” Imri said when asked if the absence of a payment deadline would impact the group’s earnings.
It is also looking to take its public wifi offerings up several notches by increasing its coverage from the current 10,000 locations to 100,000 by year end, with hotels, transportation hubs and shopping malls being target locations.
The group will also be mobilising a team to scout for new customers at potential areas and facilitate broadband installations and service activation.
The initiatives are expected to be financed through TM’s capital expenditure allocation for this year.
On the government’s agenda of doubling broadband speed at half price, Imri said the group is working together with regulators.
“We are working together and supporting the government’s agenda for digital connectivity. One of the programmes we are doing this year is to double the speed for the same price. We are working together with the ministry as well as regulators for its implementation,” he said.
The government announced in the Budget 2017 speech that fixed line service providers will have to double their broadband speed offering at the same price.