Better connectivity: Opting for a broadband on demand service helps reduce the chances of service interruption that would come about when using only a fibre or wireless network, according to Chew Choo Soon.
Broadband technologies such as wireless and fibre connections each have their own merits. So, in the words of Chew Choo Soon, chief executive officer and executive chairman at MyKris, “Why do we have to only emphasise on either one? Why not get the best out of both?”
It is this train of thought that has led the company to offer what it has termed as “broadband on demand”. The service provides the company’s clients with access to the Internet on both wireless as well as fibre networks at the same time.
“There are a few good benefits from using a wireless connection. One is that it’s very quickly deployed and can support a very high bandwidth,” he says, adding that any additional bandwidth required by clients can be easily catered for as they have developed their own wireless equipment and networks.
Typically, he says issues faced on the MyKris wireless network were resolved within a matter of hours.
In contrast, for a fibre connection, he says that problems that crop up would usually require a longer troubleshooting period, possibly lasting several days. However, wherever a client seeks “really high speed and a stable connection”, he feels that fibre or wired networks remain the better option.
Nevertheless, Chew points out that “wireless cannot replace fibre”.
Mitigating risks
MyKris has been promoting its broadband or bandwidth on demand solution since the second half of 2013. Chew claims that the company now has “quite a number of clients using this kind of connectivity.”
So far, the bulk of MyKris clients that have taken up its broadband on demand solution has come from the hospitality industry. However, he says it can potentially benefit any company who requires “guaranteed (Internet) connectivity” in order to provide a “high level of service”.
“If you’re only depending on a single (broadband) technology, I think there’s still a risk that the service might get interrupted due to unforeseen circumstances. But once we have integrated both, we are able to mitigate more of these risks,” he explains.
Chew adds that one of the reasons that MyKris is able to offer such a service is because of Malaysia’s unique position with regards to Internet technology. He observes that the nation has developed a substantial base of both wireless as well as wired Internet service providers (ISPs).
“Both are very active in Malaysia. While we have had the opportunity to grow our wireless networks, the government has also focused on developing fibre networks. This is why we have a mixed environment. Comparing this to the rest of the world, this is a very unique model as most countries usually opt for either one or the other,” he says.
In addition, Chew says MyKris was also motivated to develop a hybrid solution because it's eager to establish a niche for itself in the market.
He says MyKris also seeks to differentiate its offerings from other competitors by providing a range of value added services for its clients besides just Internet connectivity. For example, giving clients better insights via an analysis of available data about their network.
“We will manage their networks and tell them whatever information they want to know. We will also advise them accordingly on what they should do next,” Chew says.
Future direction
On the whole, he expects the local market for managed services to continue to grow.
“It’s definitely something that’s here to stay. As e-commerce gets more popular in Malaysia and more online applications are introduced by both the government and private sector, the demand for managed services will be more,” he says.
MyKris, which has been listed on the New Zealand Alternative Exchange since January 10, 2012, has also been working on establishing a name for itself in the provision of location based services (LBS).
He notes that LBS has started being used within the security, transport, safety and health industries. But he expects this trend to spread across even more economic sectors in the near future as the concept of the Internet of Things takes root.
Besides this, he shares that MyKris will continue its research and development efforts to further improve the quality of its very own range of wireless equipment.
“Our development direction is quite clear. It will be focused on how to make things better in terms of performance and reliability, and of course, making the equipment sizes more compact,” says Chew.
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