CELCOM Axiata Bhd (Celcom) expects to invest some RM500 million if it wins a RM2 billion digital terrestrial television broadcasting (DTTB) project.
Celcom chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly said it expects the investment to be over three to five years.
Yesterday, Celcom inked a consortium agreement with Broadcast Australia to bid for the much-awaited job.
Shazalli, speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, said the companies will bid for the design, construction and long-term operation of the project.
Celcom chief strategy and business transformation officer Farid Yunus and Broadcast Australia director of strategy and corporate development Brett Savill signed the agreement yesterday.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is likely to announce the tender soon.
Broadcast Australia, equipped with the technology know-how for the delivery of terrestrial digital TV, will be backed by Celcom's largest network and engineering presence across Malaysia.
Shazalli said both parties will offer a guaranteed rollout of the nation's DTTB, on-budget, on-time and with quality.
"Celcom has been seeking to diversify its business and this partnership is the first step towards achieving that objective," he said.
The collaboration is in line with the Economic Transformation Programme's objective of training and developing local staff through transfer of knowledge, Shazalli added.
"We intend to create a vibrant media industry to support digital TV, which in turn will create more high- income jobs and key skills and competencies that can be exported to other Southeast Asian countries," he said.
The DTTB idea was first mooted in 2005, with a public inquiry conducted the following year.
The project involves the conversion of analogue technology to DTTB for all terrestrial television stations by 2015.
Under the current set-up, TV broadcasters are individually licensed as content application service providers, whereby they install their own equipment at transmission sites.
Many companies are vying for the project. They reportedly include Maxis Bhd, whose technical partner is Astro, KUB Malaysia Bhd in partnership with Germany's Media Broadcast Systems, and YTL Communications Sdn Bhd with US-based Sezmi and American technical consultant Peter Douglas.
Celcom chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly said it expects the investment to be over three to five years.
Yesterday, Celcom inked a consortium agreement with Broadcast Australia to bid for the much-awaited job.
Shazalli, speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, said the companies will bid for the design, construction and long-term operation of the project.
Celcom chief strategy and business transformation officer Farid Yunus and Broadcast Australia director of strategy and corporate development Brett Savill signed the agreement yesterday.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is likely to announce the tender soon.
Broadcast Australia, equipped with the technology know-how for the delivery of terrestrial digital TV, will be backed by Celcom's largest network and engineering presence across Malaysia.
Shazalli said both parties will offer a guaranteed rollout of the nation's DTTB, on-budget, on-time and with quality.
"Celcom has been seeking to diversify its business and this partnership is the first step towards achieving that objective," he said.
The collaboration is in line with the Economic Transformation Programme's objective of training and developing local staff through transfer of knowledge, Shazalli added.
"We intend to create a vibrant media industry to support digital TV, which in turn will create more high- income jobs and key skills and competencies that can be exported to other Southeast Asian countries," he said.
The DTTB idea was first mooted in 2005, with a public inquiry conducted the following year.
The project involves the conversion of analogue technology to DTTB for all terrestrial television stations by 2015.
Under the current set-up, TV broadcasters are individually licensed as content application service providers, whereby they install their own equipment at transmission sites.
Many companies are vying for the project. They reportedly include Maxis Bhd, whose technical partner is Astro, KUB Malaysia Bhd in partnership with Germany's Media Broadcast Systems, and YTL Communications Sdn Bhd with US-based Sezmi and American technical consultant Peter Douglas.
