KUALA LUMPUR (April 1): The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has called on industry players to participate in the first batch of the second phase of its National Digital Network (Jendela 2) plan to improve internet access across Malaysia.

In a statement on Wednesday, the MCMC said it is calling for companies to submit draft plans to help determine who will be selected to carry out the projects.

The ministry said that eligible licensees are required to submit a Registration of Interest and Draft Universal Plan in line with Regulation 5 of the Communications and Multimedia (Universal Service Provision) Regulations 2002.

Theta Edge Bhd (KL:THETA), an ICT solutions provider, was appointed by the MCMC in 2024 as the universal service provider for the first phase of Jendela where costs were estimated RM154.36 million for the project.

Under the first phase of Jendela, 1,600 telecom towers were built and thousands of transmitters were upgraded. Earlier reports had suggested that fibre connections were extended to more than 200,000 premises and boosted populated areas in Sarawak.

Under Jendela 2, the first batch of projects will use a mix of solutions, including expanding 4G and 5G coverage where possible, as well as providing Wi-Fi via satellite in areas that have limited reach. The MCMC also plans to introduce a “neutral host” platform, which allows users to connect to Wi-Fi networks using their existing mobile data plans, regardless of their service provider.

The target of the first batch is 2,700 sites nationwide and will first start with coverage of 1,000 sites, with 31.1% in Peninsular Malaysia, 33.7% in Sarawak, and 35.2% in Sabah, whereby the MCMC said it expects to begin work as early as the third quarter of this year, subject to approvals.

The remaining 1,700 sites will be rolled out later under a second batch.

“The initiative is designed to address remaining coverage gaps, enhance network performance and expand access to high-quality broadband services, particularly in rural and underserved areas,” said the Communications Ministry.

The MCMC said it will continue working with stakeholders to ensure that the programme is carried out smoothly and improves connectivity nationwide.