I have in the past been very vocal about the need to understand FTTH and LTE in symbiosis. I was therefore quite pleased and interested to read the following interview of Suresh Sidhu, CCO of Celcom Axiata Berhad in Malaysia where he says (amongst other things): “FTTH is key to meeting business and consumer needs”. In a nutshell, the mobile arm of the Malaysian Incumbent TM does not think next-generation wireless and FTTH are antithetical, quite the contrary.
The interviewer (who seems to doubt the benefits of wireline connectivity) drives the following exchange:
As next-gen wireless services develop will there be a need for fixed-line services in five years’ time?
We see that the customers we serve are changing their behaviour from “walk and talk” to “sit and play”. Or rather – “walk somewhere, sit, play, walk somewhere else, sit, play”. Critical to this value proposition is the ability for wireless service providers to be present at the key “data hotspots” which could be home, cafes or the traditional street locations. We believe that LTE, HSPA+ and HetNets (including femtocells, WiFi, etc.) are key to serving this need. However, the best way forward may well be to seek convergent approaches that include the fixed world as well. People will do different things at different locations and a holistic relationship will drive both wireless and fixed technologies to develop their niches.
I’ll let you read the rest of the interview here.