Death of Broadband in Malaysia

Peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic is choking up local broadband lines with 20% of users utilising 80% of the total bandwidth, according to Internet service provider (ISP) TM Net Sdn Bhd. These quotes came from Dr Fadhullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek, general manager of TM Net’s corporate and strategy services:

“We are not against our customers using P2P. However, it is an unfair situation which needs to be addressed, as we cannot upgrade our infrastructure (merely) for the benefit of the minority”

Fadhullah said other countries with high broadband penetration also faced similar problems because “broadband users have a tendency to abuse bandwidth”

The above statements are quoted from The Star Online article. Let me make an assumption:
Let's say 20% of users are using 100% of their bandwidth, which is really just 128 kilobytes per second, all day. And this 20% is using 80% bandwidth of TMnet. Then, it must mean that TMnet only has enough bandwidth to support around 25% users using their full bandwidth at any time. Of course, this is a worst case scenario.

But combine this with the quotes above and things start to look wrong. TMnet CANNOT upgrade their infrastructure to even support 25% of their users using full bandwidth. Now despite having high capacity, they are introducing their 512kilobytes per second service while throttling 20% of their users and claiming that they don't have enough capacity for even 25% users.

Either this statement of bandwidth usage is downright wrong or they are really complaining that they can't make more money nowadays. As in, they would prefer to take away promised bandwidth from their users than upgrade their "high bandwidth" Internet lines. Most broadband users only surf the Web, chatting and occasionally download and watch online videos. What TMnet means is their customers can only use full bandwidth for a while everyday. Most of the time, you shouldn't be downloading. Most of the time, you should only be using 10% of your promised bandwidth, which isn't really a promise. It is a promise that can be broken at any time, under any due consideration by TMnet. This the best effort, as in TMnet will only grant you their promise as long as you behave and not ask for what has been promised. Confusing? In simpler words, just surf and occasionally use your full bandwidth on your "unlimited" broadband. By the way, how is using our full bandwidth an abuse?

Most, if not all P2P users already know that TMnet throttles their connection. Well, not really. TMnet did not publicly announce to all their users that they are throttling P2P. Yes, this news appeared on news websites and newspapers. Yet they don't have the "capacity" to announce it through their supposedly all-in-one bills. Instead they show you how much bandwidth you are really using each month on your "unlimited" service.
Shouldn't they correct their advertising and write "unlimited but throttled" instead? When everyone can't use a certain Internet service within the full bandwidth, it ceases to be unlimited. It is also not considered the best effort as TMnet makes no effort to upgrade their capacity and prefers to cut their users from using full bandwidth instead. This is the significance that shows how broadband is really "narrowband".

As more people are using broadband, the price stayed. It's not that as more and more people use broadband, the price drops and higher+cheaper bandwidth is available. It's safe to assume that TMnet wants a high amount of users per bandwidth ratio. Therefore they are holding back from upgrading their infrastructure, which means more customers can sign in, and still use their current network which is congested, and still be able to make more money. What are the chances of a price drop ever since the last 2004 double bandwidth upgrade? This is the direct effect of a monopoly and lack of government intervention. Telekom, the parent company of TMnet, controls the nationwide telephone lines, yet our government does not have the commitment or strength to pull a big corporation to its knees.

Our broadband services are a laughing stock compared to neighboring countries. Never before has a broadband service remained stagnant for 3 years with absolutely no change in price or bandwidth. In fact, our uploaded bandwidth actually drops with silence in the general media. Bloggers and frustrated users don't have the energy to go up against one of the biggest corporation in Malaysia and have long given up. This is the death of broadband in Malaysia.