KUALA LUMPUR: U Mobile Sdn Bhd expects to be on par with other local telecommunication players in terms of network capacity and coverage with the roll-out of an additional 2,000 network sites, slated for completion by end-2015.
Chief executive officer, Wong Heang Tuck, said the company had set aside an investment of RM1.5 billion for this expansion, comprising 1,000 3G and 1,000 4G long-term evolution (LTE) sites.
U Mobile today inked a three-year partnership with information and communications technology solution providers, ZTE Corporation and Huawei Technologies, for the roll-out of the new sites.
“We also expect our subscribers market share to have a ‘meaningful’ growth, which stood at 10 per cent as of end-2013.
“Out of the RM1.5 billion allocation, RM900 million to RM1 billion will be for equipment while the balance is for additional works and services,” he told a press conference after the signing ceremony here yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek. Wong said given that U Mobile is currently the youngest telecommunications player in Malaysia, the partnership allowed it to leapfrog in terms of its services with the implementation of the latest technology in the market.
When asked on the company’s plan to float its shares on Bursa Malaysia, he said: “It is definitely on the cards but timing-wise, that will depend on our financial performance.”
U Mobile currently has over 4,000 network sites to provide quality service to more than five million customers nationwide, which has been growing rapidly at 60 per cent per annum. — Bernama