KUCHING: The Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Telecommunication (SMART) towers throughout Sarawak are being equipped with telecommunication equipment in stages by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) Berhad as of March 2024.
According to SDEC, the installation works are progressing diligently at various stages.
“Some 511 towers are currently equipped and 307 towers are operational or ‘on-air’ with Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (MySRBN), out of which 251 of these towers also provide 4G mobility,” it said in a statement today.
The SMART project is scheduled to be fully completed by the second quarter of 2025.
“Comparatively, the construction period for towers under the federal government JENDELA initiative also takes at least 18 months.
“These towers are actively being implemented at various stages and are also expected to be completed by the end of 2025,” SDEC said.
The company stressed that the erection of towers alone does not signify the provision of service.
“For the towers to be fully operational, they must undergo proper installation with suitable equipment, reliable electricity supply, mobile services, and backhaul services integration,” it said.
Meanwhile, the federal government, managed by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), has set aside RM4.09 billion for JENDELA Phase One, constructing 842 new towers.
Additionally, the Sarawak government implements the SALURAN initiative with RM2.25 billion to expand internet coverage from urban to rural areas in Sarawak.
