KUALA LUMPUR (March 25): A total of 2,395 new telecommunication towers out of the planned 3,884 under the National Digital Network (Jendela) have been completed and operational as of Jan 31, 2024, according to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
During the same period, Fahmi said that 39,983 transmitter stations have been upgraded out of the planned 40,214, and 3.32 million premises have been equipped with fiber optic networks out of the planned 4.19 million under the Jendela initiatives.
"All planned Jendela initiatives are expected to be completed and operational in stages by the end of 2025," Fahmi said in response to Edwin Anak Banta (GPS-Selangau) during the oral question and answer session in Dewan Rakyat on Monday.
The RM21 billion Jendela initiative, a component of the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025) launched in August 2020, is geared toward enhancing broadband coverage and quality to pave the way for the country’s transition to 5G technology.
This initiative will unfold in two phase, where phase one, spanning from 2020 to 2022, seeks to amplify 4G mobile broadband coverage from 91.8% to 96.9% in populated areas, elevate mobile broadband speed from 25Mbps to 35Mbps, and facilitate access to gigabit-speed fixed-line broadband for 7.5 million premises.
Meanwhile, the second phase will witness the transition to 5G, following the successful establishment of a robust foundation in phase one, in alignment with the 12th Malaysia Plan.
Reactivation of 169 ‘naked towers’ in Sarawak within three months
Additionally, Fahmi reported that a total of 169 towers out of 600 “naked towers” in Sarawak have been successfully reactivated since the beginning of the year until March 22.
Of the remaining towers, 297 are ready to be taken up by the telcos to operate, 44 are under construction, 59 are in the process of being transferred to new locations, and 31 face location-overlapping issues.
The term “naked towers” refers to telecommunication tower projects lacking satellite dishes or radio equipment.
Fahmi noted that the federal government has initiated a tripartite solution involving the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and telco companies, with a budget allocation of RM206.98 million, to address the longstanding issue of “naked towers” in Sarawak.
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