BY JACINTHA JOLENE and ALEXANDRA LORNA
KUCHING: Sarawak is more than halfway to reaching its target of having 7,000 telecommunication towers before 2030.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said about 3,856 telecommunication towers have already been constructed in the state.
He said an additional 761 towers will be built by the end of this year while the remainder will be built before 2030.
“With our vast landscape, it is estimated that we will need 7,000 telecommunication towers to achieve 99.9 per cent internet penetration throughout Sarawak.
“With the Sarawak Linking Urban, Rural and Nation (SALURAN) initiative, the Sarawak government is spearheading efforts to provide connectivity to the people and enable greater urban-rural economic integration,” he said.
Abang Johari was officiating at the 27th World Congress on Innovation and Technology| 6th International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (WCIT|IDECS 2023) at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, here Wednesday (Oct 4).
He said the Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (MySRBN) is the first government-owned broadband network, offering 4G and 5G support via Fixed Wireless Broadband to the rural community.
Other than that, he said the Sarawak government has also initiated the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Telecommunication (SMART) project with the aim to expand the connectivity coverage at the rural areas with 600 towers to be operationalised by the third-quarter of 2024.
“We have established an interim solution via Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) in order to bring internet access to far-reaching areas,” he said.
Meanwhile, under a federal government initiative, he said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has also allocated an additional 742 new towers in Sarawak under the National Fiberasation and Connectivity Plan (JENDELA).
Currently, he said Sarawak has reached 61.6 per cent in 4G coverage, set to increase to 93.87 per cent by the end of this year.
“It is all thanks to initiatives like SMART600, JENDELA, Clawback and others.
“Sarawak is proud to be an early adopter of 5G, with plans for 587 operational sites by 2024, covering 59.6 per cent of populated areas,” he added.
