Nate Harris (Microsoft) and Paul McManus (Maxis)
Maxis has unveiled a bumper new enterprise-focused agreement with Microsoft designed to drive digital adoption in Malaysia.
Motivated by ambitions to become the leading in-country solutions provider, Maxis will collaborate across the key technologies of cloud, collaboration and the Internet of Things (IoT), targeting commercial enterprise and public sector customers across the country.
Firstly, Maxis will combine IoT and 5G capabilities with Azure IoT technology with the aim of allowing organisations to build smart utilities and connected applications. Secondly, both public and private cloud offerings will be available through Azure and Azure Stack services in acknowledgement of hybrid requirements within Malaysia.
Rounding off the three-pronged market approach is Maxis’ internal adoption of Microsoft’s Modern Workplace solutions, which include Microsoft Teams. The move also sees Maxis become the first telco in Malaysia to offer fixed line voice calls with Microsoft Teams unified communications.
“One of the key pillars of our growth journey and convergence ambition has been around strategic partnerships with some of the best in the industry to deliver more value to businesses in Malaysia,” said Paul McManus, chief enterprise business officer at Maxis.
“With IR4.0 increasingly demanding for agility for the modern workforce, our partnership with Microsoft comes at a critical time. Cloud-based solutions enable a whole new level of work and collaboration, which will be an important driver in accelerating change within the fast-evolving business landscape.”
The agreement will also see Microsoft share “knowledge and expertise” in the field of IoT and cloud technology, to help diversify the applications offered by Maxis in areas such as the development of smart cities and smart utilities.
“For over 30 years, Microsoft has been partnering with Malaysia and other countries in the region to enable businesses, governments and people adopt innovation and digital transformation,” added Nate Harris, general manager of Cloud across Asia Pacific at Microsoft.
According to IDC findings, commissioned by Microsoft, digital transformation is forecast to add an estimated US$10 billion to Malaysia’s GDP (gross domestic product) by 2021.
By 2022, 21 per cent of GDP is expected to be digitalised, with growth in every industry driven by “digitally-enhanced offerings, operations and relationships”. IDC said such a shift will result in IT-related spending across the country reaching US$82 billion within the next three years, as third platform technologies such as cloud, mobility, big data and social take centre stage.
“We are excited to get into this partnership with Maxis, so Malaysian businesses will have access to the most innovative solutions from our respective expertise in technologies like cloud, IoT and 5G,” Harris said.
