YTL Communications Bags Telecom Asia Award for the Most Innovative Partnership Strategy with Google

Kuala Lumpur, 20 May 2014

YTL Communications Sdn Bhd has been awarded “The Most Innovative Partnership Strategy” for its partnership with Google at the Telecom Asia Awards 2014 in Jakarta, Indonesia. In this collaboration, YTL Communications deployed Google-designed 4G Chromebooks to schools throughout Malaysia and seamlessly integrated Google Apps for Education into its cloud-based virtual learning platform for 10 million students, teachers and parents in Malaysia to improve the national education system through the Internet and technology.

Since the launch of YTL's Yes 4G in late 2010; YTL Communications has been given numerous international recognition for its services. In 2011, YTL Communications picked up the Best New Service Award at the Broadband World Forum in Paris and Most Innovative Service Provider in Asia Pacific at the Frost and Sullivan Asia Pacific Excellence Award in Singapore in 2012. In 2013, the company was awarded the Most Promising Service Provider in Malaysia at the Frost and Sullivan Malaysian Excellence Award and Best Broadband Cloud Award at the Broadband World Forum held in Amsterdam. Early this year, YTL Communications bagged the ''Best Enterprise Cloud Offering'' at the Mobile World Congress 2014 in Barcelona.

“The Most Innovative Partnership Strategy” category acknowledges the telecommunications operator with the most innovative approach to forging win-win partnerships with players that add value to their customers or impact the bottom. YTL Communications impressed a distinguished panel of judges and was selected over strong contenders including Malaysian finalists Celcom and DiGi, as well as China Unicom and Globe Telecom.

YTL Communications Executive Director Jacob Yeoh, who was present at the ceremony to receive the award said, “We are truly honoured to be receiving this esteemed award. Being recognised with the Most Innovative Partnership Strategy award is significant for YTL Communications as it underlines our effort in working with leading industry partners to provide the best Internet-enabled opportunities to every student in Malaysia and empower them to succeed in a global knowledge-based economy.”

Jacob added, “We are pleased to have Google as a strategic partner. They share our vision of transforming the national education system through the Internet and cloud technologies. This partnership truly showcases how technologies can be used to create value and drive positive change for not just our customers but the entire nation. We give our Lord Jesus all the glory!”

Caesar Sengupta, Vice President of Product Management, Google extended his congratulations to YTL Communications on their win. “It is always encouraging to see people recognise the benefits of Google Apps and Chromebooks in schools and foster a culture of collaborative learning anytime, anywhere. We look forward to helping the Malaysian Ministry of Education achieve its education transformation goals at a national level by working with YTL Communications.”

Now in its 17th year, the Telecom Asia Awards is the region’s longest-running and most prestigious telecom industry awards. The platform rewards innovative and outstanding performance by Asian service providers and industry executives. The theme for 2014 is “At the crossroads: Innovation strategies to profit in the digital world”, and the awards recognise winners in 13 categories from more than 100 fixed, mobile and convergence telecom operators from around the region. Award winners were chosen from a shortlist of candidates, nominated by Telecom Asia readers, judges and editors. The final selection was made by an independent panel of industry experts who casted votes on the basis of innovation, financial performance, technology, market leadership and corporate governance.