Redtone-CNX Broadband has launched commercial services in East Malaysia, Malaysian news source Bernama reports. The first phase of the WiMAX network , built in conjunction with Motorola, covers the Kota Kinabalu business district in the state of Sabah. Redtone CEO Zainal Amansha announced that the operator was aiming to cover 25% of Sabah’s population by the end of the year. The service is expected to be expanded to Kuching in October.

Rival WiMAX provider Packet One Networks (P1) launched commercial services earlier this week, and has announced that it will spend MYR1 billion (USD300 million) over the next four years on network expansion. The operator is aiming to cover 65% of the population in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia by 2012.

Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor Shaziman reiterated earlier this week that WiMAX operators would be given until the end of 2008 to roll out services or risk having their licences revoked. Four operators, including Redtone and P1, were awarded WiMAX concessions in March 2007; the other operators were Bizsurf and Asiaspace.

Source:telegeography