Axiata-owned telecoms infrastructure company Edotco says it has signed separate MoUs with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Axiata’s fintech firm Boost to accelerate infrastructure rollouts for digital enterprises and enable financial inclusion for tower landowners.
Under the MoU with MDEC, Edotco will serve as an infrastructure ecosystem partner for next-generation digital infrastructure solutions to companies granted “Malaysia Digital” (MD) status by the MDEC.
“Malaysia Digital” is an incentive programme launched by MDEC for qualified resident companies doing R&D or commercialising solutions and services for specific next-gen technologies such as AI, big data analytics, data centres, cloud, fintech, blockchain, IoT and drones, among others.
Edotco will offer advisory services and preferential rates to support MD ecosystems in sectors such as digital agriculture, digital cities, and digital tourism. That includes providing 4G and 5G in-building connectivity, alternative connectivity solutions such as low-orbit satellites, and sustainable smart city solutions.
“This partnership is designed to ensure that the communities within the MD ecosystem have the infrastructure support necessary to drive innovation and growth nationwide,” said Malaysia’s Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo at the MoU signing ceremony on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, under the MoU with Boost (which is majority-owned by Axiata Digital Services), Edotco introduced the Tower Landowner Credit Access initiative for the more than 2,200 individuals and private landowners with existing tenancy agreements with Edotco.
The Tower Landowner Credit Access initiative enables those landowners – many of whom are unbanked or underbanked – to leverage their tenancy agreements to gain new credit access.
The first phase of the initiative will target SME tower landowners, while the second phase will be expanded to individuals in the coming months.
Edotco group CEO Adlan Tajudin said the collaborations with MDEC and Boost are pivotal in driving Malaysia’s digital economy forward.
“By partnering with MDEC, we are ensuring that our tech ecosystem will have access to cutting-edge infrastructure, enabling startups and innovators to thrive,” he said in a statement. “Simultaneously, our initiative with Boost will provide financial stability and empower our underserved landowners, who are key stakeholders in our business.”