Skudai, December 6th: Students and staff of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) can now enjoy faster broadband speed with the introduction of 4G (fourth generation) mobile Internet services under a collaboration with YTL Communications Sdn Bhd.
UTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang said the service would benefit the university’s 2,000 doctorate students, of whom 500 were in the computer science field.
“This is one of the biggest broadband facilities among public institutions of higher learning in the country. YTL Communications selected UTM based on our progress in providing quality broadband for our students and staff.
“We are among the first to have been signed up for this, and the first to receive it,” said Zaini after the introduction of the 4G YES service at the Skudai campus here.
He said UTM, which was declared a research university by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in June, would also collaborate with YTL Communications to develop 4G content. In June, UTM upgraded its broadband capacity to 425 mbps (megabyte per second).
He said the 4G facility was already up and running at its Skudai main campus and at the Jalan Semarak campus in Kuala Lumpur.
Zaini said with the introduction of YES 4G, the university would be able to reduce capital expenditure and costs at its facilities.
Meanwhile, YTL Communications executive director Yasmin Mahmood said six other universities would receive the YES 4G services.
They are Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and Universiti Teknologi Mara.
Yasmin said Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris would soon receive the services, pending internal approvals.
She said YTL was working towards a 80 per cent penetration rate in the country within the next several months, and was gearing up for its YES TV in October next year. It currently has a 65 per cent penetration rate in Peninsular Malaysia.
She said the YES 4G would benefit students as its Internet speed was not only five times faster than 3G, it would also only cost a RM30 minimum monthly fee.
Source: The New Straits Times, Dec 6th, 2010