Celcom to catch up on 4G by year-end

Celcom Axiata Berhad chief marketing officer Zalman Aefendy Zainal Abidin presenting the new Xpax Internet plans that offer more data quota for users. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star.

KUALA LUMPUR: Celcom Axiata Bhd is optimistic its Long-Term Evolution (LTE) fourth generation (4G) service would be on par with major peers by year-end as it is currently rolling out more network sites nationwide.

Deputy chief executive officer (business operations) Azwan Khan Osman Khan said the expansion works for the 4G service were in progress and the company was on track to realise the population coverage as targeted by year-end.

“We aim to achieve 85% to 86% for 4G service, from about 75% currently.

“Our lightning fast LTE network service, compatible with selective mobile models (at present), is also progressing well for customers in the Klang Valley,” he told Bernama after a media briefing on Celcom’s new Xpax Internet plans in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

He said the company had allocated RM1.5bil in capital expenditure for 2017, and a large chunk would be used for the expansion works.

“The bulk of the allocation is for upgrading the capacity and new 4G sites. When we upgrade a site, it would also cover 2G, 3G besides the 4G services,” he said, adding that the upgrading works were carried out nationwide.

Azwan said the the company currently had 29.8% market share in terms of total revenue, including prepaid and postpaid services.

Meanwhile, Celcom’s main prepaid brand, Xpax, now comes with new a Internet plan that offers up to 15 gigabyte (GB) data.

Celcom’s chief marketing officer, Zalman Aefendy Zainal Abidin, at the briefing, said with improved Xpax offering, customers could choose from four additional new Internet plans -- daily plan for RM5 (up to 2GB), two weekly plans - RM6 (500MB) and RM19 (5GB).

The monthly plan of RM79 (15GB) comes with free entertainment pack of Music Walla and Video Walla for 15GB. - Bernama