UPDATED: TM has issued a statement saying it has met with Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo and "are fully committed to resolving this issue".
"We will be submitting the proposal within the month and will make an announcement in due course. Meanwhile we will continue to explore various fit-for-purpose technologies as well as optimising existing industry mechanisms in order to deliver a better broadband experience nationwide," TM added.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo has issued a statement urging Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) to resolve issues faced by Streamyx customers. He said special attention should be given to the significant number of complaints by Streamyx customers on the lack of high-speed Internet connectivity as well as the high cost of their monthly subscription plan.
In his statement, the minister said that as of 2018, there were approximately 1.27 million Streamyx customers in Malaysia. Around 340,000 of those customers are in an area with Unifi coverage and thus they have the option to upgrade to Unifi's fibre broadband plans. To date, around 266,000 customers have upgraded to Unifi.
However, for customers in areas where fibre broadband is not available due to lack of infrastructure, Internet service speed would be limited to 30Mbps (Unifi copper) or they have to stick to Streamyx plans, where the maximum achievable speed is only 8Mbps.
Streamyx broadband packages are priced from RM110 for 1Mbps to RM160 per month for 8Mbps, while Unifi customers can choose from fibre broadband plans starting from RM79 a month for 30Mbps speed with a 60GB data cap.
Following a series of discussions with TM, Gobind said a number of solutions have been proposed. The minister added that TM should come up with an immediate decision on the matter and make an announcement detailing relevant strategies to tackle the Streamyx issue.
Gobind said he is confident that TM under the leadership of new group chief executive officer and managing director Datuk Noor Kamarul Anuar Nuruddin will be able to resolve the issues faced by Streamyx customers, and has requested that TM present a report on the ongoing Streamyx issue to him within a month.
Last year, TM announced that Streamyx customers can qualify for a free upgrade to Unifi. The upgrade depends on the availability of Unifi in the area and the building’s infrastructure for condos and apartments. Users have been reaching out to Gobind on social media for him to look into the Streamyx pricing and speed issue.
The Star has reached out to TM for comments.