Last month, TM and TNB have announced that both companies agreed to not continue their collaboration for the National Fiberisation Plan (NFP). The initiative has since been renamed to the National Connectivity Plan (NCP), and TNB has announced a pilot project to that end.

The pilot project will be initiated in Jasin, Melaka this month. It will be an assessment of the technical, safety and commercial viability in using TNB’s infrastructure for the NCP. Slated to be completed by the end of this year, it will cover 1,100 out of 4,300 houses in three areas – Taman Merbau, Taman Maju and Felda Kemendor.

While it’s not a widely known fact, TNB does actually have its own extensive network of fibre optic cables. This will be what’s being used for this pilot project.

Tan Sri Leo Moggie, Chairman of TNB, said “This pilot project will be the platform to test the concept of Open Access. The platform is expected to stimulate active participation from new and existing providers in backhaul and retail broadband that will create competition that should push broadband prices down for the benefit of Malaysians.”

TNB also states that the outcome of this pilot project will decide if it’s viable for it to embark on a larger scale NCP participation nationwide.

In other words, it’s a long way of saying that TNB aims to start being an ISP itself. And doing so will also make TNB the competition that it says will push broadband prices down for our benefit.

Disclosure: This article is sponsored by TNB.

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