Unifi Mobile Explained

Unifi Mobile
Type:Private limited company
Industry:Telecommunications
Founder:Puan Chan Cheong
Products:Telecommunications service
Internet services
Owner:Telekom Malaysia
Num Employees:600+ (2014)
Parent:
  • Packet One Networks Sdn Bhd (2002–2016)
  • Webe Digital Sdn Bhd (2016–2022)
  • TM Technology Services Sdn Bhd (2023–)

Unifi Mobile (stylized as unifi MOBILE) is a Malaysian internet service provider and the country's sixth mobile network operator. Originally known as Packet One Networks (P1), the company was founded on 11 February 2002 and is currently a subsidiary of the national telephone company, Telekom Malaysia.

Overview

Unifi Mobile operates 4G WiMAX, 4G LTE, and 4G LTE-A networks, and shares spectrum from Celcom with 2G EDGE networks.

In March 2007, P1 was one of four companies awarded 2.3GHz spectrum licenses by the Malaysian government to deploy 4G WiMAX services throughout Malaysia. In August 2008, it became the first company to launch commercial WiMAX services in Malaysia.[1]

In March 2014, Telekom Malaysia (TM) bought a 57% stake in P1 for RM 350 million and plans to invest RM 1 billion over the next four years.

In April 2016, the company was officially rebranded as Webe Digital Sdn. Bhd.. May 2017 saw the announcement of the company's latest CEO, Moharmustaqeem Mohammed,[2] replacing Azizi A. Hady.

In January 2018, TM relaunched its mobile service under the Unifi Mobile brand. Unifi Mobile is a prepaid and postpaid plan operating on an annual contract. The Unifi Mobile LTE network consists of 850MHz FDD-LTE (Band 5), 2300MHz TD-LTE (Band 40), and TD-LTE 2600MHz (Band 38). Unifi Mobile utilizes its MgO 850MHz LTE band 5 spectrum (reformed from CDMA 850MHz), and Celcom provides domestic roaming on 4G and 2G until June 2023.

On 1 October 2022, Jasmine Lee Sze Inn, 52, was appointed the new Executive Vice President of Mobile at Telekom Malaysia Bhd, and CEO of Webe, the mobile division of TM.

On 14 December 2022, Telekom Malaysia Bhd announced the reorganization and renaming of Webe Digital Sdn Bhd to TM Technology Services Sdn Bhd, which later took place on 1 March 2023.

Frequencies used on Unifi Mobile Network in Malaysia
Band Frequency Frequency width Protocol Notes
5 850 MHz (824~834, 869~879)2 * 10 MHz LTEuntil December 2027
40 2300 MHz (2360~2390)30 MHz LTE/WiMAX20 + 10 MHz Carrier aggregation (CA)
38 2600 MHz (2575~2595)20 MHz LTEuntil June 2027

Milestones

Packet One was discontinued as a company after Telekom Malaysia's purchase.

Its W1MAX product offering still exists, though it now focuses on LTE as web.

Prefix and Subscriber Numbers

Assigned by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission:[11] [12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TM succeeds in acquiring P1 stake. The Malaysian Reserve. 16 March 2015.
  2. Web site: TM appoints new webe CEO SoyaCincau.com. 2017-05-16.
  3. Web site: Alcatel-Lucent gains P1 WiMAX deal. wimaxday.net. 29 January 2008.
  4. Web site: WiMAX Global Providers. intel.com. 12 May 2008.
  5. Web site: Malaysia's First WiMAX License Holder, Packet One Networks, Enhances WiMAX Launch Readiness . oracle.com. 15 May 2008.
  6. Web site: P1 Awards USD28m WiMAX Contract To ZTE . p1.com. 24 March 2009.
  7. Web site: Malaysia Business & Finance News, Stock Updates | the Star.
  8. Web site: News Qualcomm and P1 signs MOU on LTE_GTI . 2012-05-23 . dead . https://archive.today/20120903224549/http://www.lte-tdd.org/newsdetail/241 . 3 September 2012 . dmy-all .
  9. Web site: Green Packet upbeat on China Mobile partnership . 2012-05-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110704113800/http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/highlights/188898-green-packet-upbeat-on-china-mobile-partnership.html . 4 July 2011 . dmy-all .
  10. Web site: P1 signs high-speed broadband deal with Telekom Malaysia.
  11. Web site: PUBLIC CELLULAR NUMBERS : MOBILE CELLULAR (3+7) . Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission . 1 August 2012.
  12. Web site: MOBILE NUMBERS (3 + 8) . Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission . 1 April 2017.