Malaysia’s third-largest mobile operator, DiGi, has launched its HSPA network, becoming the last major mobile operator in the country to do so. DiGi has switched on the network initially in Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Sunway and Bangsar, and plans to cover more than 1,000 zones and a minimum of five market centres by the end of this year, reports Cellular News. The service will initially focus on mobile broadband for PCs, while voice and data services for mobile phones will be added at a later date. DiGi – which is 49 percent-owned by Norway’s Telenor – said it will invest between MYR300 million to MYR400 million (US$80 million to US$110 million) a year on mobile broadband over the next three years. It expects to be able to offer average speeds of 700Kb/s – based on the network’s theoretical 14.4Mb/s peak capability.

According to Wireless Intelligence data, HSPA is in its infancy in Malaysia, accounting for just 0.65 percent of connections by the end of last year. The country’s second-largest operator, Celcom, led the way with 86,733 HSPA connections, while market-leader Maxis had 79,292. Speaking at an official launch for its new network, DiGi CEO Johan Dennelind said the operator was aiming to capture a third of Malaysia’s broadband market within five years.