Three telcos, U Mobile, Digi, and Celcom received a directive for failing to comply with the Mandatory Standards for Quality of Service (MSQoS) for broadband services, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). This happened after the regulatory body conducted technical checks at more than 3,000 locations nationwide between 1 January and 15 June 2022.
According to MCMC, consumer feedback helped determine where to conduct these tests. 40 notices involving 449 locations have been issued as a result of the six-month test. After concluding that U Mobile, Digi, and Celcom had failed to meet the MSQoS for wireless broadband services in specific regions at Langkawi, the regulator eventually issued a Commission Direction (CD) to the three companies in mid-May and depending on the areas, the telecoms had between 30 September and 31 December 2022 to enhance their services at these sites.
According to the most recent MSQoS specification, wireless broadband must have a download throughput of at least 2.5 Mbps and network latency that is less than 150 ms 90% of the time. The CDs only referenced wireless broadband service; they did not include fixed wireless access, which requires a minimum download capacity of 25Mbps.
The current MSQoS was implemented in August of last year and also applied to wired broadband service, where the speed for DSL and fibre must be at least 70% of the subscribed plan. In the same release, MCMC also noted that under Section 019 of the Communications and Multimedia Act of 1998, telcos who violated MSQoS might be subject to fines of up to RM200,000.
