Before the merger, there were six major telcos in Malaysia, Maxis, U Mobile, Digi, Celcom, Telekom Malaysia, and Time dotCom. Now there are only five companies left. Only time will tell whether this merger is a boon or a bane for customers.
The Edge Markets reported that in a joint announcement, (Celcom) Axiata Group Bhd and (Digi) Telenor Asia Pte Ltd announced that the merger of Celcom Axiata Bhd and Digi.com Bhd’s telco businesses had been completed.
In April of last year, it was first proposed that the mobile telecommunications network operations of Digi.com and Celcom Axiata be combined.
After the merger was completed, Axiata and Telenor each hold 33.1% of the newly formed company, Celcom Digi.
Celcom Digi makes a strong proposal to accelerate the country’s transformation towards a digitally enabled high-income society because of its scale, skills, financial strengths, and experiences in addressing the different needs of Malaysian consumers, they continued.
We are also heartened at the role this tech giant can play in spurring talent development here in our very own backyard, as Malaysia charts advancements in 5G innovations, automation, IoT (internet of things), AI (artificial intelligence) and cyber resilience, among others.
Moving forward, I am confident that Celcom Digi — backed by the global experiences, excellent governance standards and financial strengths of Axiata and Telenor as shareholders, is well placed to serve Malaysian consumers and enterprises seeking to step up on digital competitiveness in the current era.
Axiata, Chairman, Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan.
By combining the strengths of two well-loved local telco brands, the new company can enhance customer satisfaction and provide a broader platform to serve the growing needs of Malaysian SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and large enterprises. Employees can look forward to development opportunities, build new competencies and shape the growth journey of a successful digital telecom champion.
Telenor, Executive Vice President and Head of Asia, Jørgen C Arentz Rostrup.
