Effort will Connect the Best Minds in Silicon Valley with Developers in Malaysia to Create Exciting New Applications for YTL’s Nationwide 4G Service while Establishing the Country as a Regional Centre of Excellence for 4G Innovation; USD 1 Million mY Prize will Reward Best Innovators in 2010
(PRWEB) November 10, 2009 -- YTL Communications Sdn Bhd today announced the formation of a 4G Innovation Network in Malaysia in cooperation with some of the preeminent players in technology, including: Cisco, Clearwire, GCT Semiconductor, Inc. and SAMSUNG. High-ranking executives from each participating company marked the official start of the initiative during a ceremony at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur witnessed by the Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia Y.A.B Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.
To inspire the developers who take part in the 4G Innovation Network to create exciting new products and services that address consumers’ needs, YTL Communications will sponsor a global competition-the mY Prize-in 2010. A total of USD 1 million will be awarded to help entrepreneurs and innovators realize their best ideas and then offer them to consumers on a nationwide level. More details will be announced by January. Developers are invited to visit the Company’s web site to request more information at: www.ytlcomms.my
“YTL Communications is proud to take a leadership role amidst this prestigious group and equally as proud of Malaysia for having what it takes to attract interest and commitment from top players in technology,” said YTL Group Managing Director Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Francis Yeoh Sock Ping, CBE, FICE. “Together, we will help to advance the country’s mission to become a truly innovation-led economy as well as YTL’s mission to provide affordable, world-class quality products and services that improve the way people in Malaysia learn, work and play.”
YTL Communications Chief Executive Officer Wing K. Lee added, “The Innovation Network will facilitate the development of applications and devices that will take advantage of 4G mobile Internet and which will give people in Malaysia a truly connected lifestyle and new levels of communication freedom.”
The 4G Innovation Network is being established to facilitate the deployment of YTL’s nationwide 4G service in Malaysia that will offer a high-fidelity Internet experience to people across the country by the end of 2010. To achieve this, YTL’s 4G Innovation Network in Malaysia will be linked with Clear’s Innovation Network in Silicon Valley to facilitate a free flow of ideas and information across borders. Importantly, developers worldwide will have the chance to commercialize their work on a national scale in Malaysia.
"YTL’s 4G Innovation Network in Malaysia will expand the 4G ecosystem by linking Malaysian and other Asian developers directly with some of the world's most creative minds in Silicon Valley, in order to share ideas while testing services designed to enhance the 4G mobile Internet experience," said Ali Tabassi, senior vice president, global ecosystem and standards for Clearwire. “Fostering development of the first generation of true mobile broadband services helps to fulfill our goals of changing the way people access the Internet and providing new opportunities for mobile applications.”
“This network is truly transformational – one of the first in the world to offer converged services over a wireless network. We expect that it will help drive competitiveness for Malaysia; as we have consistently seen that those countries that use technology strategically are the countries that lead economically, socially and environmentally,” said Mr. Wim Elfrink, Chief Globalisation Officer and Executive Vice President, Cisco Services. “Cisco’s leadership in this effort highlights our continued commitment to innovate and provide new business models to cater to the diverse needs of our customers worldwide.”
“We expect that the 4G Innovation Network in Malaysia will take a leading role in developing and expanding WiMAX all over the Asia-Pacific region.” said Woonsub Kim, executive vice president and head of the Telecommunication Systems Division, Samsung Electronics. “By bringing the technical know-how it has accumulated through numerous commercial WiMAX businesses, Samsung will contribute to the successful establishment of the Malaysian 4G Innovation Network.”
“We look forward to bringing our expertise to the 4G Innovation Network and empowering YTL to further advance its 4G wireless services in Malaysia,” said Kyeongho “KH” Lee, CEO of GCT Semiconductor, Inc. “We believe this partnership will offer an excellent platform to share ideas and accelerate 4G application development and the launch of innovative device and terminal products.”
About YTL Communications Sdn Bhd
YTL Communications Sdn Bhd is a subsidiary and the communications utility of YTL Power International Berhad (YTL Power International). The Company has approval from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to operate a 2.3 GHz WiMAX wireless broadband network in Malaysia and int to use this privilege to provide affordable, world-class services that improve the lives of people across Malaysia.
Financial backing from YTL Power International and technological know-how from strategic, best-in-breed partners including: Cisco, Clearwire, GCT and Samsung, will position YTL Communications as a leading player in the telecommunications industry and will lay the foundation for the roll out of a nationwide wireless broadband network by late 2010. As a responsible corporate citizen, YTL Communications is committed to bridging the digital divide between the urban and rural communities, improving the quality of life, and supporting efforts to promote technological innovation.
About YTL Power International
YTL Power International is a utility group active across key segments of the utility industry worldwide. Headquartered in Malaysia and listed on Bursa Malaysia (market capitalization RM12.9 billion (USD 3.8 billion) as at 31 October 2009), it operates in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and Indonesia. Its core businesses include: power generation, retail and transmission, water and sewerage services. YTL Communications represents YTL Power International’s first investment in the communications business. YTL Power International is a subsidiary of YTL Corporation Berhad (“YTL Corporation”).
About YTL Corporation
YTL Corporation Berhad is one of the largest companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia, and together with its five listed entities has a combined market capitalization of about RM30.8 billion (USD9.1 billion) as at 31 October 2009, and total assets of over RM45 billion (USD13 billion). The company was listed in 1985, and has also had a secondary listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange since 1996, being the first Asian (non-Japanese) company to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. YTL Corporation is an integrated infrastructure developer with interests in construction, power generation (in both contracted and merchant markets), cement manufacturing, water and sewerage services, property development, hotel development and management and information technology and e-commerce initiatives, serving over 12 million customers on three continents.
Media Contacts:
Hasnan Kadir
YTL Communications
+603-2027-8888
hasnan(dot)kadir(at)ytlcomms(dot)my
Marta Grutka
Bspoke Consultancy for YTL
+65-9747-6221
marta(at)bspokeconsultancy(dot)com
Lana Rushing
Bspoke Consultancy for YTL
+1 310-428-1805
lana(at)bspokeconsultancy(dot)com
Supriya Addanki
Cisco
+65-6317-7145
suaddank(at)cisco(dot)com
Mike DiGioia
JLM Partners, Inc. for Clearwire
+1 206-381-3600
mike(at)jlmpartners(dot)com
Sophie Heerinckx
GCT
+1 408-434-8049
sheerinckx(at)gctsemi(dot)com
Julia Maeng
SAMSUNG
+ 82-31-279-2268
sj(dot)maeng(at)samsung(dot)com
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