All must push for 3G takeoff

PETALING JAYA: The adoption of 3G mobile services is being held back by several challenges that can only be overcome by the collective effort of the Government, media and service providers, said industry experts.

The experts also believe that 3G mobile service providers in the country could do more to encourage the adoption of the advanced mobile communication services.

Telcos will need to do this if they are to achieve the targets set by the Government's MyICMS 886 plan, said the experts.

The Government wants to have five million 3G cellphone subscribers in the country by 2010. This and other goals are listed in MyICMS 886 - a four-year plan aimed at boosting the growth of the local information and communications technology (ICT) industry, and to bolster its competitiveness globally.

Other goals of MyICMS 886 include: Ensuring at least one in four homes have broadband access; mobile TV for 90% of wireless services users; digital multimedia broadcasting to 95% of households; and migration to the faster IPv6-based networks.

Research firm Frost & Sullivan said the 3G adoption rate is expected to be slow in the first two years, given the limited availability of handsets and network coverage.

Sept Trial Programme for Digital TV

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will start its trial programme for digital television in September with an initial funding of RM75 million to pave the way for the national digitalisation drive in broadcasting.

The trial programme will be led by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).

Deputy Information Minister Datuk Donald Lim said the allocation would allow RTM to buy digital equipment for its transmission centre as well as the digital TV transmitter system.

With the installation of the digital transmission system, RTM would be able to provide digital TV broadcast for households in the Klang Valley, he told Bernama in an interview at Angkasapuri, here.