Did you know that it is mandatory for fixed broadband service providers to deliver 90% of the broadband speed promised, 90% of the time?

It is mandatory for fixed broadband service providers to deliver 90% of speeds they promise to deliver in their broadband packages (for both uploads and downloads) 90% of the time. This is according to the standard set by the MCMC Mandatory Standard for Service Quality.

In a statement posted on its official Twitter account, MCMC acknowledges complaints from customers who are not getting the broadband speeds promised by their service providers.

The commission assured the public that if an operator is found to be lacking in delivering the fixed broadband speeds as indicated in their broadband packages, MCMC will take appropriate actions.

Fixed broadband service providers must adhere to the Mandatory Standard for Service Quality (Fixed Broadband Service) as set by the MCMC. The Standard for Service Quality is used by the commission to track and monitor the quality of broadband services provided the telcos.

According these standards, customers should at the minimum get 90% of the speed promised by their fixed broadband service provider, 90% of the time. Failing to do so, a service provider can be subjected to penalties under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

And actually, the standard stipulates that a service provider must provide 90% of the upload and download speeds promised 95% of the time during busy periods. However, the standard does not indicate the times that is consider “busy periods”.

It is also mandatory for a service provider to ensure that its service is available 99.99% of the time for all its users and that latency should not be more than 85ms 95% of the time and packet loss should not exceed 1%. You can read more about the MCMC quality of service here.

MCMC said that it will continue to monitor the operators to ensure that their services are up to par while at the same time improve the infrastructure for broadband services.

If you’re not happy with your internet service provider based on the standards set, you can submit a complaint to MCMC here or simply via WhatsApp here.

The commission is finalising its National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP). Once implemented, the plan should increase broadband speeds and coverage while at the same time make broadband affordable to more people.

In October 2018, SpeedTest Global Index reported Malaysia’s ranking moved up 10 places to 26th position with an average speed of 61.97Mbps compared to the world average of 50.88Mbps.

In December 2018, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) announced Malaysia’s ranking has moved up six places to 35th from 41st position in the fixed broadband price basket category, according to the 2018 Measuring the Information Society Report (MIS) issued by the union.