20 Jan 2023
TM R&D inks MoU with ZTE to collaborate on optical network research, bringing the first 50gbps bandwidth experience to Malaysia
Telekom Research & Development Sdn Bhd (TM R&D), the innovation arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ZTE (Malaysia) Corporation Sdn Bhd (ZTE), a global leading provider of information and communication technology solutions, to collaborate on optical network research, bringing the first 50Gbps bandwidth experience to Malaysia.
The MoU was signed by Dr Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer, TM R&D and Steven Ge, Chief Executive Officer, ZTE Malaysia.
Under this agreement, TM R&D and ZTE will jointly explore the capabilities of next-generation Passive Optical Network (PON) access technology, 50GPON, to support various application scenarios. In addition, both entities will look into use cases that can deliver ultra-broadband access to the government, enterprise and consumers, as well as support the requirements of innovative services such as 5G, Cloud Virtual Reality (VR), industrial intelligent manufacturing for high bandwidth, low latency & jitter, and clock synchronisation, all of which will enhance the user experience in Malaysia.
Commenting on the MoU, Dr. Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer, TM R&D said, “TM R&D is committed to conducting research on future technologies and innovating new value-added smarter eco-systems that will improve the quality of user experience, and ultimately bring a positive impact on their lives. This fits well into the TM Group’s transformation towards becoming a human-centred TechCo. We are very excited to partner with a renowned global player such as ZTE to innovate on future generation PON technology in line with the global trend and technology roadmap.”
Meanwhile, Steven Ge, Chief Executive Officer, ZTE Malaysia shared, “With Gigabit home broadband services widely used in Malaysia at present, and the basic fixed network is in the time window of evolution from GPON to 10G PON, this partnership could not have come at a better time.”
“ZTE is pleased with the opportunity to collaborate with TM R&D on future research in next-generation PON technology supporting Digital Malaysia,” he added.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
TM leverages Maxis’ Infra to Drive Enhanced Mobile Connectivity Nationwide
To strengthen the nation’s digital ecosystem through industry collaboration, TM will access Maxis’ 4G Multi Operator Core Network (MOCN), as well as 4G and 2G Domestic Roaming Services to enhance mobile connectivity nationwide. MOCN is a radio access network (RAN) sharing mechanism that allows different core networks to share the same RAN. Through this, TM will extend its 4G coverage across the country by leveraging Maxis’ RAN infrastructure and improve Unifi Mobile's population coverage to above 95%. Maxis will provide approximately 6,800 sites for 4G MOCN and domestic roaming (DR) services, and 10,000 sites for 2G DR, greatly benefiting all subscribers in rural and urban areas nationwide. In a ceremony today at TM HQ in Cyberjaya, Maxis was represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Goh Seow Eng, while Datuk Imri Mokhtar, Group Chief Executive Officer represented TM. Through this strategic partnership, TM and Maxis demonstrate a shared commitment to driving innovation, improving customer experiences, and contributing to the advancement of Malaysia's digital landscape. “This is a significant milestone for Maxis which represents our capabilities and track record in providing high quality mobile networks. We look forward to progressing ahead with TM on this initiative. Industry collaboration is the right way forward as it will ultimately benefit consumers with wider coverage through better cost efficiency and more efficient use of our resources,” said Goh Seow Eng. “We are witnessing an important step in the industry's collaborative efforts towards infrastructure sharing. Our partnership will elevate TM’s 4G mobile proposition to deliver exceptional customer experience for home, SME, and enterprise customers. It will complement our 5G offering, and pave the way for greater innovation and collaboration, to deliver solutions and services for all Malaysians," said Datuk Imri.
TM and NCT Group Expand Partnership to Deliver Smart, Sustainable Industrial Parks Across Malaysia
Selangor, September 17, 2025 – Telekom Malaysia (TM), via its enterprise and government solutions arm TM One, and NCT Group of Companies (NCT Group), through its wholly owned subsidiary NCT AI Sdn Bhd, have signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) to extend smart industrial park solutions nationwide. Building on their 2022 agreement for the NCT Smart Industrial Park (NSIP) in Selangor, this expanded partnership will see TM deliver not only advanced connectivity, but also smart solutions, cloud, and ICT services to modernise NCT’s operations and enhance customer experiences across its wider developments, including NCT Innosphere within the Delapan Special Border Economic Zone in Kedah and the Group’s corporate headquarters. Together, NCT and TM will also co-develop go-to-market strategies to position NCT’s Smart Industrial Parks as future-ready investment hubs, attracting global and local industries, and replicating the model across Malaysia to drive economic growth, sustainability and digital adoption. The MoC was formalised at the Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur 2025 between Simon Chan, NCT Group’s General Manager of Sales & Marketing and Megawati Norhashim, TM One’s Vice President for Enterprise Business, and witnessed by Dato’ Sri Yap Ngan Choy, NCT Group’s Founder & Group Managing Director, TM’s Members of the Board Datuk Bazlan Osman and Dr. Tunku Alina Raja Muhd Alias, together with Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM’s Group CEO. Amar Huzaimi Md Deris shared, “This partnership reflects TM’s role not just as a connectivity provider, but as the enabler of smart industrial ecosystems. This partnership reflects TM’s role not just as a connectivity provider, but as the enabler of smart industrial ecosystems. With our Vision AI, Intelligent Operations Centre, intelligent building management systems and other smart solutions, we are powering NCT’s Smart Industrial Parks into fully integrated, future-ready hubs for businesses and communities. This is how we deliver on our aspiration to be a Digital Powerhouse by 2030, creating platforms that drive Malaysia’s digitalisation, sustainability and industrial growth." Dato’ Sri Yap Ngan Choy said, “Our first undertaking with TM established a clear direction to redefine Malaysia’s industrial park landscape, with the goal to create a national model for smart, sustainable and digitally driven industrial growth. As a result, NSIP today is well on its way to becoming a competitive regional hub for high-value industries, innovation-led enterprises and global investors aligned with the Malaysia Smart City Framework. With this new collaboration, we expect to advance the progress made to-date and strategically extend the success of that model. This reflects our commitment to supporting Malaysia’s digital transformation, while moving towards a low-carbon economy.” About NSIP NSIP is currently equipped with high-speed fibre connectivity, public 5G coverage, IoT-enabled networks, and an AI-powered security ecosystem equipped with panoramic cameras, licence plate recognition, thermal imaging, and real-time traffic monitoring. Complemented by integrated smart street lighting, traffic management, environmental sensors and a centralised Intelligent Operation Centre (IOC), along with solar-ready factories and green technologies, NSIP currently stands as one of Malaysia’s most advanced and sustainable industrial hubs. Situated within the Integrated Development Region in South Selangor (IDRISS), NSIP is redefining industrial excellence. Focusing on smart technologies and green solutions, NCT Group and TM are committed to a partnership that will set new standards for the nation’s economic resilience.
unifi business unveils ecommerce & cloud solutions to accelerate MSME digital adoption
unifi Business Suite now includes eCommerce Hub, Cloud Storage, and Cyber security providing MSMEs the convenience, security, and tools to grow their business in the digital era unifi Business recently unveiled exciting new features in its suite of solutions for Malaysia's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which would enable them to upscale rapidly and accelerate their digital business transformation. Offering a unified ecosystem of consultation, connectivity, digital solutions and specialised services, unifi Business aims to secure its position as the preferred digital partner for MSMEs as the sector recovers from the effects of the pandemic. Established as a one-stop centre for all business needs, the unifi Business suite now includes: unifi eCommerce Hub: Designed to connect and maximise growth opportunities seamlessly, this solution offers a single and integrated platform, with an easy-to-use interface. Entrepreneurs can sync their offline and online sales channels, manage product inventories, orders, monitor sales and revenue, as well as manage social media enquiries. They can even build interactive websites with live chat and built-in online payment features. unifi Cloud Storage: To help businesses manage the often tedious task of storing valuable information, this solution brings flexible, safe and scalable data storage. It also provides access for multiple users and secured encryption for better business productivity. Hosted locally at TM's Green Data Centre certified facilities, unifi Cloud Storage provides a secure home for important files and information so businesses can focus on growing and being profitable. Cyber Security solution: To assist MSMEs in securing their business against cyber threats, this easy-to-deploy and straightforward-to-manage solution allows them to get on with the important stuff – like generating revenue and growing business. Supported by a world-leading cyber security provider, the solution protects important things that matter to businesses regardless of IT skill level, providing "Always On-Security for Always-On Businesses". It will be available for subscription starting 22 April 2022 onwards. unifi Business Club (uBC): All unifi Business customers will enjoy member benefits of the uBC, which include access to relevant and current content at its portal (https://ubc.unifi.com.my). Here, they can find insightful and inspiring content such as webinars, talk shows, live chats, events, business tips and articles to help them navigate the business world. uBC members will also enjoy access to financial assistance, productivity boosters, digital marketing platforms, tools and community engagement programmes that are tailored to a variety of business needs. Commenting on the new suite of offerings, Mohamad Yusman Ammeran, Head of SME Segment, unifi said, "MSMEs form the backbone of our economy and they need to take timely advantage of the digital boom, which presents an ideal opportunity to navigate towards more sustainable growth. Digitalisation done right is the way to go: unifi Business is primed to help them get back on their feet, come back stronger and achieve positive gains through its innovative digital solutions." According to industry analysts, building a strong digital presence is critical in today's connected era, the lack of which accounts for the failure of many MSMEs during the pandemic. To stay competitive, businesses need to make their products and services offering available online and participate in the burgeoning local and regional eCommerce market. Yusman added that unifi will be with MSMEs, guiding them on their digitalisation journey. "Our certified unifi Business Consultant team is another testament to our commitment to serve MSMEs. They are certified with the International Certification for Digital Literacy (ICDL) and will offer continuous support and guidance," said Yusman. "Our multiple business solutions for MSMEs demonstrate TM's support for the Government's initiatives, such as JENDELA and MyDIGITAL, and are aligned to the Group's role as the enabler of Digital Malaysia." Domestically, Malaysia's eCommerce value soared by 22% to RM801bil in 2021 after registering an income of RM658bil in 2020 for the period of January - September, according to the latest data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). As MSMEs represent 97.4% of overall business establishments in the country, they play a significant role in strengthening Malaysia's digital economy growth. In addition to the digital solutions, MSMEs can now enjoy up to 50% savings or get a RM5,000 matching grant, as part of the Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (PENJANA) initiative announced by the Government in 2021. This is an opportunity for MSMEs to increase their productivity while reducing their operating cost. For more information on unifi Business Solutions and MSME Digitalisation grant offerings, please visit www.unifi.com.my/business/smegrant.
NEWSLETTER
Just drop your details and stay updated with the world of Telekom Malaysia. We promise – no spam!