5G coverage in populated areas nationwide now 81.7 per cent - Teo

KUALA LUMPUR: The 5G coverage in populated areas in the country has now reached 81.7 per cent, with 7,114 5G sites established nationwide so far, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching said that, at present, the construction of the 5G network is focused on urban areas with high economic activity, but expansion to other areas, including rural ones, has also begun and will continue from time to time.

"In Kuala Lumpur, 5G coverage in populated areas is at 97.7 per cent, Putrajaya (97.3%), Selangor (96.1%), Johor (83.1%), Melaka (88.6%), Negeri Sembilan (77.5%), Penang (91.1%), and Perak (79.8%)," she said during Question Time.

Teo said this in reply to Hassan Saad (PN-Baling) who wanted to know the government's plan to build more substations to comprehensively increase the rate of high-speed internet access (5G) in rural areas.

Meanwhile, the deputy minister said the 5G coverage in populated areas in Kedah is at 80.1 per cent, Perlis (91.4%), Pahang (65.5%), Terengganu (72.7%), Kelantan (66.4%), Sabah (68.6%), Labuan (94.4%), and Sarawak (62%).

In reply to a supplementary question by Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari (PH-Sungai Petani) regarding complaint channels to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in case of coverage issues in their areas, Teo said they can file complaints through the WhatsApp hotline at 0162206262 or the Commission's website https://www.mcmc.gov.my.

For Members of Parliament, she said they can also lodge their complaints at the MCMC Complaint Counter available at the Parliament building.

-- BERNAMA