21 Nov Brunei Information & Communications Technology Sector Initiative: The next step on the path to a Smart Nation

In a joint statement released by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II; and Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohammad Yusof, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications, it was announced that a major transformation has been initiated in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector to accelerate the nation’s digital agenda.

Under this initiative, the network infrastructure of all existing telecommunication operators, Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru), Datastream Technology Sdn Bhd (DST), Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd (Progresif) and Brunei International Gateway Sdn Bhd (BIG) will be combined under a newly formed wholesale network operator. This new network operator has been incorporated and is called Unified National Networks Sdn Bhd (UNN). It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd. UNN is working in partnership with Deutsche Telekom Group to support this program.

All existing companies will focus on retail operations, providing competitive fixed and mobile services to customers and will have equal access to the network infrastructure provided by UNN.  Over time, consumers can expect substantial improvements in the wider availability and quality of key services at more affordable prices, supported by a state-of-the-art and fully secured integrated network. In the immediate term, there will be no increase in prices or degradation of network services. 

The development of the ICT sector is critical to creating an ecosystem which supports Brunei’s long term digital transformation and the aims of Wawasan Brunei 2035. The establishment of UNN is a major milestone along the ICT transformation journey as Brunei progresses towards a more connected and digitally integrated future.

The Ministers emphasized the importance for the country to create a state-of-the-art, fixed-mobile convergent network, and for UNN to provide training and assistance to ensure full Bruneianisation and continue building on the foundations for economic diversification and creation of gainful employment.

NetCo Project: Final Press Release Statement [English]
25 February 2019