Alcatel to invest $53m in Malaysia

Alcatel to invest $53m in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: French telecom equipment maker Alcatel will
invest over 200 million ringgit (US$53 million) in the next five
years to develop Malaysia as the hub for its third generation
(3G) mobile business in Southeast Asia, reports said on Thursday.

Ron Spithill, executive vice president and Asia Pacific
president, was quoted by Bernama news agency as saying that
Alcatel would develop 3G expertise and new mobile applications
with local partners.

"It was only three years ago that the Asia Pacific region only
represented eight percent of the company's total business. This
year, it is almost 20 percent," he said.

Spithill said Malaysia was chosen because of the "strong
momentum" sparked by the creation of the Multimedia Super
Corridor (MSC) for hi-tech firms and strong government support.

Malaysia was also among the first in the region to have issued
3G licenses, he noted.

Alcatel last year invested about 10 million ringgit to set up
a 3G reality center for Southeast Asia in its plant in northern
Penang state.

Malaysia's two 3G license holders -- state-owned Telekom
Malaysia and Maxis Communications -- are expected to roll out
services from 2004.--AFP