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Progresif Sdn. Bhd.
Company typeGovernment-linked company[1]
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded2014
HeadquartersBandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Area served
Brunei
Key people
Nurul Haniah Haji Jaafar, Chief Executive Officer
Hjh Noradzlianayati binti Hj Abdul Radzak, Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Tony Hanley, Chief Technology and Information Officer
Devin Edwards, Chief Marketing Officer
Revi Itty Pothen, Chief Sales Officer
Erwienna Abu Bakar, Chief Human Resource Officer.
ProductsResidential Cellular Service, Mobile Banking
ServicesHSDPA, UMTS, W-CDMA, EDGE, GPRS, GSM
OwnerDarussalam Assets
Number of employees
132
WebsiteProgresif Cellular

Progresif Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd) is a Brunei-based telecommunications company headquartered in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. The company has more than 200,000 active subscribers[2] as of January 2020. Progresif took over operations from the now defunct B-Mobile Communications.[3][4][5]

Progresif has eight retail branches throughout the country and employs around 132 mostly local staff. Progresif's business covers a number of digital and communications products and services. Ranging from post and prepaid residential mobile communication services, fixed home and corporate broadband internet services, nationwide Wi-Fi services, an internet radio station and application, a mobile wallet, and an event and ticketing platform. The company offers voice, data, and two-way text messaging on UMTS 2100 and GSM/GPRS 900 networks.[6]

History

Progresif Cellular was established in June 2014 after acquiring assets and infrastructure left by the now defunct B-Mobile Communications Sdn Bhd.[7]

In July 2014, Progresif appointed Paul Hyde as Chief Executive Officer[8] and entered into an $18 million contract with Chinese multinational telecommunications equipment provider Huawei to help update legacy infrastructure and launch a network stabilisation program.[9] This project required a full replacement of the mobile core network and Radio Access Network, in addition to upgrading the backhaul network and all base stations from 3G to HSPA+. In February 2016, the company announced plans to launch 4G LTE technology, and in April 2017, the company submitted an official request to Brunei's telecomms regulatory body, Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry (AITI), to begin trial of a 4G network.[10][11][12][13]

At the Asia Communications Awards 2016, Progresif was recognized with awards for Best Brand Campaign for its "Are You Progresif" campaign, and Engineering Project of The Year for its network stabilization project.[14][15] In 2018, the company was again recognized with a Best Brand Campaign award for its ‘Radio Will Never Be The Same Again’ campaign, which supported the launch of Progresif Radio.[16]

In June 2017, telecom industry veteran Paul Taylor was named as CEO of the company. [17] In October 2017, Progresif relaunched the company website, adding significant content in the areas of news, local events, and technology, as well as content from the company's quarterly magazine, and articles on the Arts & Culture, Environment, Education, and Entrepreneurship.[18]

After the formation of Unified National Network (UNN) and Progresif relaunched their products and services in January 2020[19]. At the same time, Hjh Nurul Haniah Binti Hj Md Jaafar was internally promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer [20], having showed tremendous aptitude and leadership skills during her 15 years+ of working for the company, overlooking 5 departments.

Enterprise Solutions

In 2017, Progresif launched Progresif Solutions, a division devoted to enterprise solutions, particularly for business, banking, and government entities.[21] The first execution was for oil refinery operator Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Hong Kong Tianyi International Holding Co. Ltd.,[22] for a project site in Pulau Muara Besar and company headquarters at the Empire Hotel & Country Club.[23] Progresif Solutions offers tailored solutions[buzzword] involving ethernet services, dedicated internet services, internet of things solutions, mobile voice plans, and SMS broadcast services.

Internet Radio and Magazine

Progresif launched Progresif Radio, Brunei's first mobile radio station, in November 2017, with dedicated apps available in Google Play and the App store.[24][25] The station features localized content, user-generated content, and local bands,[26] as well as premium international content.[27] Auditions for DJ positions at the station attracted more than 100 applicants in August 2017.[28]

The company also produces a quarterly magazine with content based on the four pillars of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative.[29]

Progresif PAY Mobile Wallet

In May 2018, Progresif (partnered with Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam) released Progresif PAY, Brunei's first mobile wallet platform.[30] The branchless banking system allows Progresif subscribers to create a virtual debit card with which they can pay bills, make donations, send money to other Progresif PAY users, and shop online.[31]

Progresif Events Ticketing Portal

In February 2019, Progresif launched Brunei’s first event and e-ticketing platform, Progresif Events. The platform allows events organisers to manage ticket sales, create seating plans and execute crowd management for ticketed events. The portal also allows customers to purchase or book tickets via an online digital transaction, and receives an e-ticket with a unique QR code that is scanned in order to enter the event.

Progresif Minds Educational Platform

In order to create a platform to that gives locals the opportunity to engage with global thought-leaders and change-makers, and produce a digital repository of interesting talks and masterclasses, Progresif developed the Progresif Minds (www.progresifminds.com).

The first event organised under Progresif Minds was the September 2019 Youth Empowerment Conference. Organised in partnership with CuriousMind, the event was attended by over 20 acclaimed speakers and 800 participants over two days.

Retail Branches

Progresif has eight retail stores, located around Brunei. They are:

  1. Progresif Tutong Store, Tutong
  2. Progresif An Nuha Store, Tanjong Bunut
  3. Progresif Yayasan Store, Bandar Seri Begawan
  4. Progresif The Mall Gadong Store, Kg. Gadong
  5. Progresif Seria (Supasave) Store, Seria
  6. Progresif BIA (Brunei International Airport) Store, Berakas
  7. Progresif Time Square Shopping Complex, Berakas
  8. Progresif KB Sentral Store, Kuala Belait

Corporate Social Responsibility

In February 2017, Progresif announced a Corporate Social Responsibility strategy to support the Brunei Vision 2035 initiative of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah. The strategy is built around four pillars: Education, Arts & Culture, Environment, and Entrepreneurship[32]. Projects supported by Progresif include agricultural and outdoor education,[33][34] local environmental events,[35] and wildlife preservation initiatives.[36]

Progresif is active in Brunei startup culture, funding its own startup lab in the company's Gadong headquarters where it provides access to support services for startup businesses.[37] The lab has produced, among others, Dart Logistics, the country's first taxi-and-ride booking service[38], and local news startup Scoop Media, which has expanded the scope of local content distributed on Progresif's media channels[39]. In July 2017, Startup Weekend Brunei held its inaugural entrepreneur workshop at the Progresif Headquarters Event Hall.[40][41] The company hosted the Brunei Rice Bowl Startup Awards in November 2017[42] and serves as the awards' National Strategic Partner for Brunei.[43]

To date, Progresif has supported over 255 NGO events, provided resource assistance to 80 startups, and enabled over 300 artists to perform, record, or showcase their creative talent.

Other major partnerships for Progresif’s CSR initiatives include with International School Brunei’s Borneo Global Issues Conference and Big BWN Project. The ISB-BGIC is an annual Model United Nations styled conference held at International Convention Centre in Berakas, and involves over 300 secondary students from schools around Brunei coming together as mock delegates of the United Nations to debate resolutions for serious global issues.

Big BWN Project is a local NGO established in 2015 that focuses on developing the youth, young entrepreneurs, women, and artistic talent by creating platforms for exposure and brand building. Some of their most established events and platforms include Big BWN Streetfest, Big BWN Cookout, and Tempatan.

1% Pledge

The latest extension to Progresif’s Corporate Social Responsibility is the Progresif 1% Pledge[44]. Beginning in December 2019, Progresif have pledged to give back 1% of every dollar earned to initiatives and organisations supporting their four CSR Pillars. A big part of the initiative is aimed at creating partnerships with other organisations and inviting them to join Progresif in the pledge, either on a case-by-case or permanent basis. The 1% Pledge is a manifestation of Progresif’s commitment to being a social enterprise and sharing corporate goodwill in targeted areas.

References

  1. ^ "Brunei - 7-State-Owned Enterprises - export.gov". Export.gov. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  2. ^ Bandial, Ain (December 30, 2019). "As Brunei's telcos scramble to adjust to a new business landscape, how will Progresif meet the challenge?". The Scoop. Retrieved Mar 4, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "B-Mobile Rebranded Progresif Cellular Following Takeover". Comms Update. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "The Report: Brunei Darussalam 2014". Oxford Business Group. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2017 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Executive Summary, Brunei Darussalam - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband". Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  6. ^ "AT&T". www.att.com. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  7. ^ "B-Mobile Rebranded Progresif Cellular Following Takeover". Comms Update. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Progresif Cellular appoints CEO". www.customerzone360.com. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  9. ^ Jimi-Ha. "Local News". 3g.modasys.net. Retrieved 2017-11-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Progresif to Upgrade 2 Primary Licences | Brunei's No.1 News Website". www.brudirect.com. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  11. ^ Oxford Business Group (2016-02-29). "Competition heats up in Brunei Darussalam's telecoms industry". Oxford Business Group. Retrieved 2017-11-30. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  12. ^ "A milestone for Progresif as 4G trial begins – Borneo Bulletin Online". Borneo Bulletin Online. 2017-04-08. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  13. ^ "Progresif eyes 4G network". Retrieved 2017-11-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Latest-Headlines - Progresif bags awards for branding and expansion..." www.energy.gov.bn. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  15. ^ "Progresif wins Asia Communications Awards 2016 following DIA re-brand". DIA Brands. Retrieved 2017-12-20.
  16. ^ "Progresif wins award for 'Best Brand Campaign' | Borneo Bulletin Online". borneobulletin.com.bn. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  17. ^ "Paul Taylor at helm of Progresif Cellular – Borneo Bulletin Online". Borneo Bulletin Online. 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  18. ^ Bakar, Haadi. "Progresif has a new website | geekturf". geekturf.net. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  19. ^ "SO, WHAT'S YOUR PLAN… – Progresif Cellular". progresif.com. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  20. ^ "Progresif announces new CEO and restructure – Progresif Cellular". progresif.com. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
  21. ^ Guan, Tan Wee (2017-05-25). "Brunei's Progresif Cellular Enters Regional Market With Cost-Effective Enterprise Solutions". Asia News Network. Retrieved 2018-08-25.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "Company Overview of Hengyi Industries.Sdn.Bhd". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2018-08-25.
  23. ^ "Progresif, Hengyi pen landmark data connection and solutions deal | Borneo Bulletin Online". borneobulletin.com.bn. Retrieved 2018-08-25.
  24. ^ "Progresif set to take radio into 21st century". Retrieved 2017-12-19.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "Progresif Radio app now available for download – Borneo Bulletin Online". Borneo Bulletin Online. 2017-11-12. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  26. ^ Hazwan, Amir (2017-11-14). "A New Radio to listen to! | Progresif Radio - Sutera". Sutera. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  27. ^ "The Sweet Sound Of Radio – Borneo Insider's Guide". borneoinsidersguide.com. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  28. ^ Guan, Tan Wee (2017-08-23). "Brunei radio DJ auditions attract over 100 people". Asia News Network. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  29. ^ "Progresif releases music, radio themed issue of quarterly magazine – Borneo Bulletin Online". Borneo Bulletin Online. 2017-10-28. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  30. ^ "Progresif launches Brunei's first mobile wallet | Borneo Bulletin Online". borneobulletin.com.bn. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  31. ^ "Rano360.com  » Progresif Pay is out". rano360.com. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  32. ^ "Progresif announces four pillars for social responsibility – Borneo Bulletin Online". Borneo Bulletin Online. 2017-02-03. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  33. ^ "Progresif Cellular gives full support to Agrome IQ's educational platform – Borneo Bulletin Online". Borneo Bulletin Online. 2017-11-11. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  34. ^ User, Super. "Jerudong International School". jerudonginternationalschool.com. Retrieved 2017-12-19. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  35. ^ "Eco Ponies Garden - News And Events - Sights and taste of Tutong". www.ecoponiesgarden.com. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  36. ^ "Joining forces in wildlife fight". Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  37. ^ Guan, Tan Wee (2017-04-15). "Progresif unveils Startup Lab". Asia News Network. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  38. ^ "Dart Settles Into New Home At Progresif". Dart. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  39. ^ Bakar, Haadi. "Online news startup The Scoop joins Progresif Startup Lab | geekturf". geekturf.net. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  40. ^ "Startup Weekend comes to Brunei – Borneo Bulletin Online". Borneo Bulletin Online. 2017-07-13. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  41. ^ "Website to design and vote on furniture wins Brunei's first Startup Weekend • Biz Brunei". www.bizbrunei.com. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  42. ^ "14 startups nominated for Brunei Rice Bowl Startup Awards • Biz Brunei". www.bizbrunei.com. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  43. ^ "Brunei | Rice Bowl Startup Awards". ricebowlawards.com. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  44. ^ "PROGRESIF 1% PLEDGE TO PROGRESS – Progresif Cellular". progresif.com. Retrieved 2020-03-04.
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