27 May 2022

TM One-UC Tati collaboration to enhance Terengganu’s tech research and development; enables education equity for students in the state

TM One-UC Tati collaboration to enhance Terengganu’s tech research and development; enables education equity for students in the state Article Header
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TM One

The Master Services Agreement (MSA) between TM & UC TATI will enable the digital transformation initiatives of this state government university college

TM One, the enterprise and public sector business solutions arm of Telekom Malaysia (TM), has signed a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with University College Terengganu Advanced Technical Institute (UC TATI) to provide high speed managed data and Internet services at its Teluk Kalong Kemaman Campus and Kuala Terengganu City Campus respectively, for the benefit and use by the students, lecturers and staff.

The partnership, which includes a complete end-to-end package of both Wide Area Network and Local Area Network effectively enables wireless connectivity throughout the campuses, and is part of the Terengganu-based institution's efforts to enhance its digital research and development field, as well as delighting student experiences post pandemic.

In particular, TM One’s high-speed Internet services will support the Terengganu Big Data Institute (BDIT) located at UC TATI to conduct research and activities related to public data for the university college and the Terengganu State Government.

With this, TM One enables UC TATI to explore new digital technologies such as Cloud-Based Services, Public Data and Disaster Recovery Centres that will enhance student learning as well as potentially serve the local Government and surrounding communities.

General Manager of State Sales for TM One, Jamalullail Mohd said, “This agreement symbolises the strong partnership between TM One and UC TATI to provide next gen connectivity services for more contextual teaching and learning experiences to students. The accelerated adoption of digitisation has impacted the lives of Malaysians everywhere, with access to fast and reliable Internet services becoming a necessity in households, workplaces and learning institutions. This collaboration ensures educational equity and equal access to students from all parts of the country and we are pleased to support UC TATI in their transformation.”

"This collaboration will also be a catalyst for UC TATI in its digital transformation journey and is among the first steps for us to meet the IR 4.0 revolution. In addition to enhancing our research and development efforts into Big Data and other key technologies, this Internet service will enhance the university's operational efficiency, teaching and learning, and overall student experiences – especially for those who are resident on-campus. Working with TM One enables us to improve our capabilities and the quality of our services in these fields and to bring our institution into the next phase of its growth," explained Professor Dr. Anuar Bin Ahmad, Rector of UC TATI.

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TM R&D’s Customer-focused innovations recognised at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards

In-house smart solutions for Fixed Wireless Access connectivity and customer experience platform for frontliners awarded under “Connectivity-Telecommunications” and “AI-IT Services” categories respectively ​Telekom Research & Development Sdn Bhd (TM R&D), the innovation arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), recently bagged two awards at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2022, organised by the Singapore Business Review. The Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards spotlights exceptional companies who are technology disruptors that boosts Malaysia’s economy. TM’s Fast Internet for All (FIRA) solution was bestowed the award under the “Connectivity-Telecommunications” category, while TM’s Single Platform on Intelligent Customer Experience (SPICE.ai) won the award in the “Artificial Intelligence (AI)-IT Services” category. Commenting on these awards, Dr. Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer, TM R&D said, “I couldn’t be prouder of my team as these awards reflect their commitment to meet the fast-evolving digital needs of today’s customers and strengthen our position as a research leader in these fields. This recognition also reaffirms our efforts in building smarter digital ecosystems to facilitate the ease with which Malaysians can embrace a more digital lifestyle, while also bringing progress to the nation.” FIRA was introduced as a way to support the government in providing Malaysians with quality access to digital connectivity nationwide. Aimed at offering better internet service to underserved communities, FIRA uses Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technologies to improve connectivity in rural areas across Malaysia. Since its first deployment in Malacca back in July 2020, the solution has demonstrated promising success in improving download and upload link speeds compared to other broadband services. The solution has since been implemented at a rural school in Selangor and at Pusat Komuniti Desa sites under the Ministry of Rural Development. It has also supported an IR4.0 use case in Terengganu. “FIRA is formulated to address two common issues: coverage and speed.  The solution is capable to deliver connectivity up to 50Mbps within 5-8km range, compared to a traditional 4G cell within 1km range. Furthermore, with its quick deployment procedures, FIRA can help mitigate customers’ connectivity concerns in a cost-effective and timely manner,” shared Dr. Sharlene. SPICE.ai, on the other hand, aims to assist frontliners in their daily task of addressing customer service enquiries and requests. Dr Sharlene explained, “SPICE.ai consists of multiple components that cover different parts of an existing customer experience system. By integrating these components, frontliners gain a more holistic view of each customers’ profiles. The solution then implements real-time analytics to improve customer experience, giving frontliners the right information at the right time which allows them to deliver a better experience to customers.” This analytics system has been deployed nationwide for nearly two years and becomes the primary touchpoint for more than 5,000 TM frontliners in most customer interactions across multiple channels. The performance of SPICE.ai has proven to be reliable and seamless even when integrated with more than 20 existing, standalone systems and was still able to relay the processed information through one single platform, on top of providing analytics and advisory. Established in 2001, TM R&D is the innovation arm of TM Group focusing on creating smarter ecosystems to make business and life easier for a better Malaysia. TM R&D’s solutions are clustered around four pillars namely Intelligent Platforms, Data Brokerage, Connectivity/Tools and IR4.0/Digital Solutions. Growing from strength to strength, TM R&D has won multiple global awards and generated more than 2,800 Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and 1,400 digital assets to date. TM R&D’s innovations are developed in-house and cut across multiple industries such as Utilities, Retail, Agriculture, Healthcare and Education, with safety and productivity as its top priority.

TM One and SME Bank collaborate to deliver technology funding to SMEs under PENJANA

TM One and SME Bank sign agreement to provide technology funding to SMEs via SME Technology Transformation Fund (STTF) ​​TM One, the business and public sector solutions arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank), an agency under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative to offer technology funding for its Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) customers to accelerate their business and digital transformation. ​ The MoU was signed by Ahmad Taufek Omar, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, TM One while SME Bank was represented by Aria Putera Ismail, its Group President/Chief Executive Officer. The SME Technology Transformation Fund (STTF), is a fund set up between SME Bank and the Ministry of Finance to offer financing assistance of up to RM3.0 million to local SMEs. This is part of the Government's Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (PENJANA) economic stimulus package to provide financial assistance to SMEs in adopting digitalisation and/or automation in their business operations. Commenting on the collaboration, Ahmad Taufek said, "We are excited to work hand-in-hand with SME Bank to accelerate digital adoption amongst our customers particularly in the SME segment. This is in support of the Government's efforts under PENJANA to execute key initiatives to help SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim is to assist SMEs in addressing real business challenges and issues that they are currently facing with the digital solutions available. We have put in place dedicated teams and solutions to enable our customers to realise the full potential of their digital opportunities. Our Professional Services are a consultative approach in helping SMEs to understand how to plan their digital transformation based on their unique business requirements." Meanwhile, Aria said, "With a fund size of RM500 million, STTF is expected to directly assist SME entrepreneurs to achieve higher productivity, process efficiency, efficient cost management and greater market penetration. As at 11 November 2020, SME Bank has approved 18 applications worth RM36.55 million under the STTF fund. SME Bank's role in encouraging the SMEs to adopt digital technology was further enhanced with the introduction of ODELA, the first one-stop e-commerce platform backed by a Development Financial Institution (DFI), that enabled B2B entrepreneurs to make transactions and foster partnership across vast ecosystems. The Bank's wholesome approach in providing financing and entrepreneur development assistance further adds value and accelerate the development of digital economy thus boosting the nation's economic growth in this challenging time." STTF is to be used for financing the purchases of IT solutions and services, technology support services, computer hardware and software, equipment and/or machinery and other intangible assets to enhance productivity and efficiency. SMEs as defined by the National Entrepreneur and SME Development Council (NESDC) are eligible to apply for STTF. TM One's solutions are aimed at helping SMEs to achieve higher productivity, better cost management and improved efficiency for wider market penetration through the adoption of digitalisation and automation. As the digital enabler for enterprise and public sector customers with enterprise-grade connectivity and end-to-end cloud offerings, the Company is well positioned to enable the ecosystem for digital society, digital business and digital government. Leveraging on its complete digital solutions offerings across connectivity (Internet & Data), voice and collaboration tools, business outsourcing services, cloud services, cybersecurity and Internet of Things (IoT)-based smart services, TM One will fulfil the needs of businesses and the public sector in embracing digital convergence towards enabling Digital Malaysia. This is in line with TM Group's unique role as the nation's connectivity and digital infrastructure provider. It is also in support of Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) Plan to drive Malaysia's Digital Economy through business digitalisation and new ways of working. For more information on TM One solutions and how to apply for STTF, visit www.smebank.com.my and www.tmone.com.my.

TM AND SINGTEL’S NXERA BREAK GROUND FOR SUSTAINABLE, HYPER-CONNECTED DATA CENTRE CAMPUS IN JOHOR

ISKANDAR PUTERI, 25 JULY 2024 – TM and Nxera, the regional data centre arm of Singtel’s Digital InfraCo unit, held a groundbreaking ceremony for their data centre campus in Iskandar Puteri, Johor. The groundbreaking comes one month after the announcement for a joint venture to develop data centres in Malaysia and uplift Johor’s digital hub status. This 64MW state-of-the-art, sustainable, hyper-connected, AI-ready data centre campus reinforces Malaysia’s high quality digital infrastructure. It also supports the government's efforts to drive the digital economy and transform the country into a hub for industrial growth, AI development and innovation. Malaysia's Digital Minister YB Gobind Singh Deo; YB Lee Ting Han, Chairman, Johor State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee; and Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth Low Yen Ling graced the groundbreaking event as the Guests-of-Honour. Minister YB Gobind said, "This investment by TM and Nxera reinforces Malaysia's position as the digital hub in Southeast Asia, further advancing the nation's economic growth. Based on advance estimates, Malaysia's economy expanded 5.8% in the second quarter of 2024, and such investments are in line with projections that Malaysia's digital economy will contribute 25.5% to the nation's GDP by the end of the year. The relationship between TM and Nxera expands to Malaysia and Singapore, with both nations being a good case study of a productive working partnership between two ASEAN member states." YAB Dato Onn Hafiz Ghazi, Menteri Besar, Johor said, “TM-Nxera’s upcoming data centre campus, located right here in Iskandar Puteri, holds particular significance as one of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone’s first investment projects. We welcome the comprehensive scope of their investment with respect to high quality infrastructure, sustainability as well as employment and skilling opportunities which supports our emphasis on talent development, green technology and renewable energy. This data centre campus will serve as a catalyst for economic growth and enable businesses to harness the power of cloud computing and AI. We hope this will set the stage to shape a vibrant business ecosystem where more high-tech and high-value content companies will be attracted to locate their operations within the special economic zone and give a further boost to Johor’s digital economy.” Senior Minister of State Low said, “Data centres are important enablers of our digital economy, powering our economy’s data-driven needs. As technology advances, robust, next-generation digital infrastructure like the TM-Nxera Data Centre will be essential to support AI advancements and foster value creation. Today’s groundbreaking marks a milestone in the deepening economic relations between Singapore and Malaysia, and I look forward to the outcomes we can achieve through close collaboration.” Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM’s Group CEO, said, “Today marks a pivotal milestone in our journey to becoming a digital powerhouse as we break ground on this cutting-edge AI-ready data centre. This facility exemplifies our commitment to fostering industry growth, driving innovation, and enhancing socio-economic development. With support from the Federal Government, and Johor state agencies and authorities, we are confident that this AI-ready data centre will equip businesses with unparalleled computing power, AI capabilities, and other cutting-edge technologies. We are excited to lead the way into a future where AI and data analytics drive transformative solutions, revolutionising industries and enriching both our nation and the world.” Bill Chang, CEO of Nxera and Singtel’s Digital InfraCo unit, said, “As one of the largest investments in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, this state-of-the-art data centre campus is an integral part of our mission to empower digital economies and communities in the region while ensuring energy and water resources are deployed responsibly and efficiently.  It expands our regional data centre platform’s strategic presence in this fast-growing Asia region. With Malaysia embracing AI to drive competitiveness and innovation, our campus will spur economic growth by helping companies leverage AIs and cloud computing to drive efficiencies and accelerate their business transformation. Our investment isn’t just about the campus, it is about bringing benefits to the local economy through digitalisation, developing local talent, creating employment opportunities and enhancing international connectivity. We would like to express our gratitude to the Johor State Executive Council, Invest Johor, Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation and Malaysian Investment Development Authority for their support.” Scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2026, this cloud-enabled Tier 3 data centre campus will use liquid cooling to handle higher power density AI workloads. The facility will be designed, built and certified to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, incorporating energy and water-efficient solutions to optimise the use of resources. This underscores the joint venture's commitment to long-term sustainability goals. To support the new data centre campus, the joint venture plans to expand submarine cable connectivity, enabling a thriving and vibrant digital ecosystem.  Located just 16 km from Singapore, the data centre campus will allow customers to seamlessly expand their infrastructure from the city state and the rest of the region. Further, the data centre can be scaled up to 200MW in response to market demand. In addition, apart from creation of new employment opportunities that is important for nation building, the joint venture will invest in building talent for the data centre industry by fostering collaborations between universities in Singapore and Malaysia. It aims to design comprehensive courses with specialised curriculum to provide students with well-rounded knowledge and the requisite skills to propel Malaysia’s growth aspirations. For communities and the region, this means superior country-to-country connectivity and a smarter, more resilient digital economy. As announced in Bursa, this joint venture is conditional upon receiving approval from TM shareholders in the upcoming EGM.

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