Malaysian wireless broadband provider Packet One Networks (P1) has revealed that it expects to carry out a pilot of Long Term Evolution Time Division Duplex (LTE TDD) technology by the end of 2011, the Business Times reports. In addition, P1 chairman Michael Lai claimed that his company would likely upgrade its current WiMAX networks with LTE TDD when both the technology and devices had reached a more mature status, most likely by end-2012.

It is understood that P1 has submitted a detailed business plan to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) regarding its plans for 4G services, and is now awaiting the go-ahead from the regulator for a commercial rollout. The revelation follows P1’s first WiMAX-LTE TDD live demonstration, and commenting on his company’s plans Lai said: ‘The LTE TDD investment will be like our regular network spending that we apply for WiMAX annually. We will continue with our trial on LTE TDD to make sure that it can co-exist with WiMAX.’

In reference to the operator’s existing WiMAX infrastructure Lai claimed that to date P1 had spent around MYR650 million (US215 million) on the network rollout, with investment expected to reach MYR1 billion by 2012, while network coverage will approach 65% of the population by that date; at present P1’s WiMAX services are available to around 45% of Malaysians.