About TM

Corporate Profile

Milestones Over Two Centuries

Our Journey Continues...

1800’s

1874
The telephone makes its debut in Perak

1882
Perak and Penang are linked by telephone via a submarine cable

1891
The first telephone exchange is commissioned in Kuala Lumpur

1894
A submarine cable links Labuan with Singapore and Hong Kong

1900’s

1900
The first magneto telephone service is introduced in Kudat, Jesselton (KK) and Sandakan

1908
Incorporation of postal and telegraph services

1926
Advent of radio communications in the country

1946
Establishment of the Telecommunications Department in Malaya

1962
Introduction of Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore via the first long distance microwave link

 1963

• Expansion of the microwave network throughout Malaysia
• Launch of television services in Peninsular Malaysia

1968
The Telecommunications Department of Sabah and Sarawak merge with that of Peninsular Malaysia forming the Telecommunications Department of Malaysia

1970
The first international standard satellite earth station is commissioned in Kuantan, marking the advent of live telecasts in Malaysia

1975
Establishment of the Automatic Telex Exchange

1979
Introduction of International Direct Dial (IDD) facilities

1980
Malaysia commissions its own submarine cable linking Kuantan and Kuching

1982
Introduction of Telefax and International Maritime Service

1983
Introduction of data communications

1984
Introduction of packet switch technology, leading to Malaysia’s own public data network

1985

• Commissioning of the ATUR service using 450 analog cellular radio technology, a first in Asia
• The Multi Access Radio System, providing rural customers with easier access to telephone services, is introduced

1987
Jabatan Telekom Malaysia (JTM) is corporatised, forming Syarikat Telekom Malaysia Berhad (STMB), the nation’s first privatised entity

1988
Introduction of digital INTELSAT Business Service

1989
Introduction of the 800 toll-free service

1990

• Introduction of international toll-free and prepaid cardphone (Kadfon)
• Listing of STMB on the Main Board of Bursa Securities and introduction of the new company logo

1991

• The Company rebranded its name to Telekom Malaysia
• Introduction of Malaysia Direct, Home Country Direct

1992
Introduction of Video Conferencing and CENTREX

1993
Introduction of ISDN services

1996
Introduction of 1800 MHz digital TMTOUCH cellular services

1997
Introduction of Corporate Information Superhighway (COINS), Telekom Malaysia’s state-of-the-art, high-capacity enterprise solution

2000

2001

• Launch of Bluehyppo.com, Telekom Malaysia’s lifestyle Internet portal, which records more than 290 million searches a year
• Introduction of broadband services
• Telekom Malaysia becomes a major partner in the launch of the state-of-the-art submarine cable Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN2)
• Establishment of TM Net as the largest Internet Service Provider in the South-East Asian region
• Launch of CDMA service fixed wireless telephony

2002
Award of the 3G spectrum to Telekom Malaysia

2003
Merger of Celcom and TMTOUCH  forming Malaysia’s largest cellular operator

2004
Restructuring of TM TelCo into two Strategic Business Units (SBUs) –
TM Wholesale and TM Retail

2005

• Telekom Malaysia undergoes a major re-branding exercise and TM is adopted as the new brand
• Launch of 3G Services – first in Malaysia
• Acquisition of 27.3% interest in PT Excelcomindo Pratama Tbk of Indonesia

2006

• TM forges strategic partnership with Vodafone, becoming a Vodafone Partner Network with a global reach of an estimated 179 million mobile customers worldwide
• TM implements its second phase restructuring exercise that organises the Group’s business into 4 groupings – Malaysia Business, Celcom, TM International and TM Ventures
• XL, TM’s Indonesian subsidiary secures 3G licence while Dialog, TM’s subsidiary in Sri Lanka launches South Asia’s first 3G service
• Acquisition of the remaining 49% in Telekom Malaysia International (Cambodia) Company Limited, (formerly known as Cambodia Samart Communications Ltd), Cambodia and 49% interest in Spice Communications Private Limited, India
• TM initiates consortium to develop an undersea cable system, Asia-America Gateway, linking
  SE Asia and the USA

2007

• TM Group undertakes Demerger exercise resulting in two distinct entities – TM (FixedCo) and TMI (RegionCo)
• TM becomes the first Malaysian company to be named Service Provider of the Year at 2007 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific ICT Awards
• The first commemorative book titled “Transforming a Legacy”, was launched by YAB Dato’ Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Divestment of TM’s Payphone business to Pernec Corporation Berhad
• TM’s affiliate in India, Spice Communications Limited commences trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange and receives the National and International Long Distance licences