Rebates for broadband subscribers likely - minister

PARLIAMENT | Subscribers of fixed broadband packages from local telecommunications companies are likely to get a rebate on their payment following the enforcement of the Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP) effective Jan 1 this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo said it was indeed one of the considerations of ongoing discussions to determine the wholesale ceiling price for providers of facilities and services used by telecommunications companies in the market.

Subscribers who had paid more would be given a refund, he said when replying to a supplementary question from Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) on the rebate for those who had obtained the packages early this year.

"I have taken the approach that it should be backdated (to Jan 1). Therefore, when the standard pricing was implemented, my personal position was that it ought to be backdated," he said.

Gobind Singh said he would meet with the telecommunications companies this week to continue discussions on new broadband packages following the enforcement of the MSAP.

"The deadline for all the proposed packages was July 31, two days ago. We are still processing. Many proposals have been sent to me. No decision has been made yet. I think (it will be done) in a while, perhaps in a month," he said.

Gobind Singh had previously targeted for the fixed broadband prices in Malaysia to drop at least 25 percent by the end of this year following the implementation of the MSAP which would see a drop in the wholesale prices of facility providers and, hence, the market prices for consumers.

"At the end of the day, our efforts to reduce the price, increase the speed and ensure world-class standard of quality depend on the cooperation of the telecommunications companies.

"I am confident that we can resolve the problem soon and can announce the (broadband) packages," he said.

- Bernama