27 Aug 2021
Solid first half 2021 for TM: revenue up +8.2%, EBIT up +29.9%, dividend declared
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First half 2021 Key Highlights (vs first half 2020)
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Telekom Malaysia Berhad's (TM) revenue for the first half of 2021 (1H2021) grew strongly by 8.2% to RM5.57 billion, compared to RM5.15 billion in the same period last year. In a statement today, the company said this achievement was driven by growth across all its customer segments – unifi, TM ONE and TM WHOLESALE.
On the back of this higher revenue and better cost efficiency, Group EBIT rose by 29.9% to RM977.3 million, from RM752.4 million last year. Subsequently, Group PATAMI grew 27.3% to RM544.0 million, from RM427.2 million in the same period last year.
The Company continues to invest in future growth by modernising its network and technology platforms, to deliver the best current and future solutions for its multi-segment customers. CAPEX spending in the first half of the year stood at RM597.0 million or 10.7% of revenue. Of the amount invested, 65% was for network access, 16% for core network, and the balance 19% for support systems.
Fibre broadband of choice – highest ever new unifi customers recorded in 2Q2021
unifi recorded several operational milestones with more than 210,000 new customer activations in the second quarter of 2021 (2Q2021). This is the highest number of unifi activations in a quarter in its 11-year history. unifi achieved an important milestone of 2.0 million customers in May 2021. By the end of June, the overall fixed broadband customer base had gone up to 2.55 million, representing a solid 15% growth over the past 12 months since June 2020.
This growth was enabled by the higher number of ports added in 2Q2021 and wider fibre network coverage, exceeding the targets committed in the JENDELA plan, achieving 138% of its commitment in 1H2021.
unifi also increased its sales and installation capacity to meet strong fibre broadband demand. unifi also saw positive uptake of device bundles with the enhanced unifiYourWorld campaign offering smart lifestyle devices, unlocking the unlimited possibilities to enrich users' digital lifestyle and needs.
unifi brought live streaming of the recent Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on 13 HD channels for free via unifi PlayTV app and unifi Plus Box, to enable Malaysians to support our athletes competing at the games.
Customer touchpoints and support remains in operation with stricter SOPs
As more Malaysians are working from home, conducting business online, participating in online learning and keeping the family entertained while staying safely at home, TM observed that internet usage went up by 45% since the start of MCO in March 2020.
All customer support services remain in operation with stricter SOPs to continuously serve customers. Customer care lines remain open and attended to over 3.6 million customer interactions in 1H2021.
TMpoint outlets and key partner stores remain open for service applications and essential transactions while adhering to strict SOPs. TM is also expanding and renovating selected TMpoint outlets with localised flavour, self-serve kiosks and implementing many other improvements to enhance its customers' experience.
New service installation and restoration activities remain available for customers with SOPs in place to ensure the safety of both, customers and TM personnel. Notably, TM activated unifi Rovers nationwide to help customers sign up easily.
Due to the higher volume of interactions during this pandemic period, customers are encouraged to use self-serve digital channels such as the unifi portal and myunifi app which are available 24/7 for service registration, service diagnostics, account-related enquiries and payment. A more simplified and personalised digital bill was also introduced for bill payment convenience of customers.
TM ONE is committed to accelerating MyDIGITAL aspirations with cutting-edge digital infrastructure and solutions
TM ONE continues to be the digital enabler and trusted partner for enterprise and public sector customers by providing dependable connectivity and delivering new customer projects in 1H2021. As customers pursue to accelerate their digitalisation adoption, this has translated into new contracts and renewals.
Following its appointment as the sole Malaysian Cloud Service Provider (CSP) under the MyDIGITAL blueprint, TM ONE sees growing demand for its Cloud services from enterprises and government agencies. In addition, TM ONE also served international demand to fulfil hyperscaled requirements as the local data centre provider.
With its complete suite of cybersecurity solutions under TM ONE CYDEC, TM ONE has formed alliances with strong global and local cybersecurity players to further enhance its ability to detect and eliminate cyber threats for enterprise and public sector customers. This will help pave the way for digital trust and cyber resiliency to help nurture a safer and more robust national cyber ecosystem.
TM WHOLESALE strengthens domestically, further builds partnership ecosystem globally
Domestically, TM WHOLESALE continues its growth momentum as the preferred infrastructure partner for High Speed Broadband (HSBB) access services. It also achieved further expansion of infrastructure coverage and capacity for Next Generation Backhaul services for several mobile network operators. TM WHOLESALE also secured bandwidth capacity upgrades for major Domestic Wholesale Data solutions and services.
Internationally, TM WHOLESALE strengthened its partnership ecosystem with more global telcos and hyperscalers for International Data services. TM WHOLESALE also secured more deals with global telcos and hyperscalers for International Ethernet services. It also expanded its digital media delivery network ecosystem with growth from domestic and international digital content players.
Focused on value creation and ESG for sustainable growth
TM continues to focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles of sustainable and ethical business practices in serving the nation:
- Governance: TM is committed to uncompromising integrity. All its suppliers have signed the TM Integrity Pledge and more than 90% of Warga TM have progressively completed the Uncompromising Integrity e-learning module. TM also ensures that its corruption mitigation practices are independently certified - having completed the Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) certification and the Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP).
- Social: TM aims to deliver social impact by ensuring the wellbeing of its Warga TM and the nation. TM is committed to bridging connectivity through the JENDELA plan. TM remains fully supportive of the Government's recovery plan - "Pelan Pemulihan Negara" - via its connectivity, digital infrastructure and solutions as well as various social contributions.
- Environment: TM continuously strives to reduce its annual carbon emissions from electricity usage through the retirement of old networks, implementation of an Energy Management System and improvement of energy-saving practices.
TM is continuously improving these sustainability efforts while at the same time upholding its commitment to its stakeholders.
Imri Mokhtar, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of TM commenting on the results:
"I am pleased to report that we have recorded a solid performance in the first half of the year and we are on track to meet our 2021 targets in line with market guidance. Coming off an exceptional first quarter, we recorded notable improvements in our 1H 2021 revenue and profitability against the same period last year.
"This was driven by higher revenue achieved by all of our customer segments – unifi, TM ONE & TM WHOLESALE and better cost efficiency. The current nationwide movement control order (MCO) has certainly influenced our business landscape and customer operations, but we are delighted with the momentum of our value programmes and the commitment of our frontliners.
"Our revenue in 1H2021 recorded an increase of 8.2% at RM5.57 billion against RM5.15 billion in the same period last year, driven by revenue growth from all customer segments. Our EBIT has increased by 29.9% from RM752.4 million to RM977.3 million.
Malaysia's economic growth outlook for 2021 continues to be challenging with the prolonged movement restrictions brought about by Covid-19. Notwithstanding the headwinds, our role remains. We will continue to serve the nation by meeting the demand for internet and data, both at the retail and wholesale fronts. This is evident through the acceleration of the number of ports deployed and the fibre network expansion under our Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) commitment, which is well ahead of schedule. We remain steadfast and will leverage our comprehensive connectivity, digital infrastructure and other smart solutions to support the nation's digital aspirations under the MyDIGITAL blueprint.
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HONOR Malaysia appoints TM One as Cloud service provider to serve customers across three continents
HONOR, a leading global provider of smart devices adopts TM One Cloud solutions – α Edge (pronounced as Alpha Edge), to serve its customers across three Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), via its enterprise and public sector business solutions arm TM One, recently join forces with HONOR Technology (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, one of the leading global providers of smart devices, to provide Cloud services not only for HONOR Malaysia's customers but also across three (3) continents – namely, Asia, Africa and Latin America. This strategic alliance signals a major expansion of TM One α Edge regionally. The end-to-end comprehensive Cloud services were chosen by HONOR Malaysia to host the eCommerce platform and digital solutions, in its ongoing efforts to expand its presence in the premium market segment. Currently, HONOR has 3,000+ service centers, 2,000+ call center representatives and close to 8,000 employees globally to provide premium and efficient services to consumers in over 100 markets. The TM One α Edge is equipped to deliver the required flexibility to scale effectively for any unprecedented demands in traffic or business challenges. Shazurawati Abd Karim, Executive Vice President of TM One, commented: "Fuelled by the pandemic, the extraordinary surge in Cloud adoption by many businesses especially those connected to serving consumer markets, bodes well for future growth and recovery. This partnership marks another important growth milestone in strengthening Malaysia's position on the global front as a preferred digital destination and business hub. We are an ideal Cloud service provider for the nation and this is yet another testament to our leading role as the enabler of Digital Malaysia." Towards ensuring a stable and secured service, some of the key aspects of the α Edge portfolio for HONOR Malaysia includes a dedicated 24/7 technical team, with professional and managed services. In addition to TM One's robust global network and secured digital connectivity infrastructure, the service operates through TM One Tier-III Data Centres, to ensure benefits such as low latency coupled with reachability to customers. Meanwhile, Kee Ee Neng, Chief Financial Officer of HONOR Malaysia, commented, "It's a proud moment to be in the same alignment with TM One when it comes to digital solutions. We look forward to providing the leading technology and developing further opportunities with TM One on this exciting journey ahead." α Edge, a part of TM One Cloud α, has been designed to provide seamless migration of critical workloads to the Cloud, quickly, easily, cost-effectively, and without constraints. It comes ready to support HONOR Malaysia's IT platform and digital solutions with Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, resource monitoring and identity access management, as well as advanced security tools and cybersecurity support. The strategic partnership between TM One with HONOR Malaysia leverages TM One's leading end-to-end cloud service solution designed for businesses. For further information on TM One's Cloud services, visit www.tmone.com.my/solutions/cloud-services and for more info on HONOR Malaysia, visit www.hihonor.com/global
unifi introduces five #unificares initiatives as commitment to deliver the unifi promise on customer experience
The initiative is unifi’s commitment to place customer experience as its No. 1 priority With a strengthened commitment to deliver the ultimate customer experience, unifi, Malaysia's leading convergence provider, today introduced five #unificares initiatives to transform its end-to-end customer experience (CX). As a technology company, unifi understands that customer expectations evolve together with the adoption of technology. This is why unifi aims to transform end-to-end customer experience with a renewed focus that ensures the customers' needs are met -- this is the unifi promise. To deliver on this promise, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), has invested heavily over the years in both its customer support capabilities and network to deliver the best customer experience possible. The new #unificares initiative is also an expression of the company's commitment towards its loyal client base. unifi has the highest market share in the local Internet Service Provider (ISP) space. Speaking to the media at a virtual briefing from Menara TM today, TM's Chief Marketing Officer, Shanti Jusnita Johari, said #unificares is a testament of the company's continuous efforts to put customers first. "TM and unifi are walking the talk when it comes to customer satisfaction. Our 24-hour service restoration guarantee is the first of its kind in the industry. It is our commitment for unifi customers to continue to get the best broadband experience," said Shanti. She added that unifi's new bold undertaking was in keeping up with users' demands for reliable connectivity, among both the consumers and business segments especially as the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) focus on recovery and growth as well as consumers with continued hybrid working and learning arrangements following the pandemic. A good and reliable broadband access is highly critical in the "new normal". Five revolutionary #unificares initiatives unifi today announced five revolutionary initiatives to raise its game in CX. The 24-hour service restoration guarantee is among five new customer-focused initiatives under the #unificares campaign to enhance its broadband experience by reducing downtime to the absolute minimum. If unable to restore within 24 hours from complaint submission, customers will receive RM50 billing rebate compensation, redeemable via myunifi app within 30 days. It is the first of its kind in the local telecommunication industry and a commitment to its customer first strategy. This 24-hour service restoration guarantee starts 30 November 2021 and compensation eligibility is for customers subscribing to 100Mbps and above. Another innovation introduced with the campaign is unifi's Proactive Service Alert; an early detection and intervention system that ensures early notifications and speed of resolution to customers. Affected customers are alerted for restoration via SMS and the myunifi app push notification. Other customer-focused initiatives introduced in conjunction with the campaign are Easyfix self-serve tool, Service Tracker and unifi Elite experts. Easyfix is an easy visual based self-serve tool that enables customers to self-diagnose and do a quick troubleshoot on internet connection, telephony or unifi TV services. If an issue is unresolved, the Easyfix tool will automatically create a service ticket for immediate action by the unifi Care Crew or connect users to a unifi live chat agent for further assistance. Easyfix can be accessed anytime on the myunifi app under 'Support' or at easyfix.com.my. Service Tracker allows customers to view and track status of service and technical requests in real-time including details of the assigned TM Care Crew, via the myunifi app. Users can easily access the Service Tracker under 'My Activity' from their Account page. unifi Elite is a group of WiFi experts who are specially trained to provide customers with tailor-made consultation and solutions to further enhance their connectivity experience at home or business premises. unifi's track record in CX is well-established. Recently, it has been chosen as the sole Malaysian recipient for the "Brand of the Year'' award for the "Broadband / ISP" category, an award that is held under the auspices of the London-based World Branding Awards. This is the second consecutive year it won the award. Last year, it also won the "Best Fixed Home Broadband Service Provider" and "Best Business Fixed Broadband Service Provider" categories in the PC.com Best Product Awards 2020. TM continues to invest in future growth by modernising its network and technology platforms, to deliver the best current and future. TM is the only telco in Malaysia which has ventured into proactive service capabilities to elevate CX and digital tools to give added convenience to customers. Meanwhile, TM Chief Network Officer, Mohamed Tajul Mohamed Sultan, who was also present at the media briefing said the increase in usage and demand for unifi services following the pandemic had driven the company to up its connectivity game. "Even before this, public feedback shows that unifi's service quality is among the best. But we are not resting on our laurels. We want to raise the bar even higher because customer experience is paramount," added Mohamed Tajul. To achieve this, TM has invested over RM 1 billion in 2021 to uplift the customer experience in both its customer support capabilities and network improvements. 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TM One and MPSJ embarks on 5G demonstration project in Subang Jaya
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Also present at the event were YB Michelle Ng, ADUN for Subang Jaya as well as representatives from the State Executive Council. Commenting on the collaboration, Tuan Haji Rosli said; "We are proud and excited to join forces with MPSJ in supporting MCMC's 5G Demonstration Project to deploy 5G infrastructure and services to Malaysians. The use cases that we are rolling out in all of our 5GDP locations are particularly selected to address the specific challenges faced by the community and stakeholders at the respective locations. For Subang Jaya, we have, together with MPSJ, identified prior to the project that parking, congestion and safety issues are among the community's top concerns. Today, TM and MPSJ are together in demonstrating how smart cities can be powered by 5G and Subang Jaya is indeed a perfect location to demonstrate these capabilities. We hope that throughout the 5GDP period, we will be able to show how 5G-enabled solutions can solve the challenges and create an Ultimate Smart City Experience for Subang Jaya, making it a smart city pioneer in Malaysia. This is in support of the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) efforts in progressing humanity towards improving the quality of lives of the Rakyat." "We hope as 5G becomes a reality, the communities will experience better streaming and connectivity and this will certainly bring a multitude of benefits to Subang Jaya city. Streets, buildings, public and personal devices need to be interconnected in order to manage the resources and operations in Subang Jaya. This can only be cost-effective and efficient if they are automated and connected and this is in line with MPSJ efforts to make Subang Jaya a safe, green, smart, prosperous, healthy and women-friendly municipality. 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Both parties have also agreed to undertake joint marketing and promotion activities of the use cases in SS15, Subang Jaya for a duration of six (6) months. Ahmad Taufek added, "5G is the next-generation network that will serve as the enabling technology for the Internet of Things (IoT), leading to many transformative smart solutions such as the Smart City Solutions and beyond. TM, via our innovative and comprehensive products and solutions will continue to lay the foundation for Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) and enabling IoT – to serve a more digital society and lifestyle, digital businesses and industry verticals, as well as digital Government. TM ONE as the enterprise and public sector business solutions arm of TM is committed to support the Group's role as the national telecommunications infrastructure provider of Malaysia's Digital Nation aspirations - that has established the communications backbone of Malaysia with the widest connectivity and convergence network." TM ONE's 5G-enabled Smart Traffic Light solution programmes traffic lights to respond to real-time, rich data collected by connected high-definition (HD) cameras and sensors, to enable improved traffic flow and reduces idle time at red lights. The Smart Parking solution enables real time parking bay monitoring using HD camera and Artificial Intelligence (AI), so users are able to search for vacant parking bay and navigate via path finder to reduce the time spent searching for the spot. Meanwhile, MPSJ enforcers can monitor parking occupancy and illegal parking incidents from the command centre and deploy resources more efficiently, thereby reducing traffic congestion at outdoor parking areas. The Smart Safety and Security solution provides advanced surveillance and real-time monitoring through video streaming from sensors and HD camera. 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