Plans to construct new telecommunication towers at 742 locations on the outskirts of towns and rural areas in the state of Sarawak this year have been unveiled by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). In announcing the development, the regulator noted that the infrastructure work is to be carried out under the government’s Jalinan Digital Negara Plan (JENDELA), as part of efforts to upgrade and improve internet coverage.
According to the MCMC, work on 106 towers commenced this month, and construction at the other 636 locations is expected to begin in Q3 2021, with all towers – which will offer 4G connectivity – scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, the MCMC also confirmed that a total of 1,283 transmitting stations had been upgraded with 4G during the course of 2020, while a further 1,606 stations are currently in the process of being uprated.
Under the JENDELA initiative, the MCMC has also developed plans to provide broadband connectivity via satellite, and in this area the watchdog said that 523 locations have been identified in Sarawak for the provision of such services, with a tender evaluation stage now in progress. In terms of fixed broadband connectivity, meanwhile, the MCMC aims to reach 43,013 premises in Sarawak with access based on fibre-optic technology, the regulator noted in a press release regarding its plans.