The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) expects the country's household broadband penetration rate to increase from 62.9 percent last year to 65 percent this year.

Chairman Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi said demand for higher speed Internet would continue to fuel broadband growth in fixed and mobile services.

"Although the country's broadband market is almost saturated, there is still room for improvement especially with the rapid expansion of Telekom Malaysia's high-speed broadband, UniFi," he said in a talk on telecommunication's 2.3 gigahertz (Ghz) spectrum organised by MIDF Research here today.

Sharil said this would add to the already rolled out initiatives that aimed to push for higher growth of broadband penetration such as widening the coverage, provide better affordability, increase the attractiveness and create greater awareness about the broadband among people.

He said the broadband market was expected to grow to 75 percent penetration rate before reaching its saturation level.

On the 2.6 Ghz spectrum, Sharil said, it was better suited for providing capacity rather than extending coverage.

"The spectrum, which requires more transmission towers than those in the lower spectrum band, makes it an ideal complement to the lower spectrum band, especially the 1 Ghz and below, in the high-capacity areas," he said.

- Bernama