Maxis to Launch Opera Mini in Malaysia

Malaysian carrier Maxis and Opera Software have just announced that the popular Opera Mini browser will be available for all Maxis customers.

According to the carrier, all its 13.9 million customers will be able to experience Opera Mini's smart browsing, as well as faster and more affordable Internet access on mobile devices including tablets.

The browser is fully compatible with all platforms including Java, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Symbian S60.

Starting May 27, Maxis customers will enjoy the full range of the Opera Mini features for mobile browsing, including surfing at up to six times faster speed than native browsers.

Jean-Pascal van Overbeke, Maxis’ chief operating officer, said “This introduction complements Maxis’ constantly expanding offerings of relevant content and services, with a unique version of the Opera Mini browser that is experienced in its full capability by any Maxis customer, over the entire range of device types.”

It is also worth mentioning that each Opera Mini user in Malaysia browsed 588 pages on average in January 2011, according to Opera’s State of the Mobile Web report.

However, with Maxis’ affordable data plans and Opera Mini that is capable of compressing webpages by up to 90%, it is expected that the browser's usage in Malaysia will grow rapidly.

As soon as the application becomes available, customers can point their browsers to Opera's website to download Maxis Opera Mini 4.3 or 6, the latest versions, over-the-air (OTA) at no charge.

T. Kugan, Maxis vice president and head of Product, Devices and Innovation, added, “There are already more than 7.2 million Maxis customers accessing the mobile Internet. Therefore, we can only grow our commitment to greater internet access for all, in order to provide equal opportunity.”

In addition, customers can simply send an SMS text with the word “Opera” to 26000 to receive a direct download link.