JENDELA: 6.43 mln premises provided with access to fibre optic network

Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said under the plan which started in September 2020, the mobile broadband speed has also been increased from 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 31.34 Mbps.

At the same time, he said the 4G mobile broadband coverage in populated areas has also been expanded from 91.8 per cent to 94.03 per cent up to the second quarter of 2021.

"Nearly 1.2 million existing 3G customers have switched to 4G and more than 76,000 3G networks have been terminated to improve the quality of 4G coverage," he said during the question and answer session.

He was replying to a question from Senator Datuk Jefridin Atan on the implementation of the JENDELA initiative.

According to Zahidi, a total of 362 new towers will be built by the end of 2022 through the main provider method.

He said 1,661 new towers would be built through open tender in rural and remote areas through the appointment of designated universal service provisions in the fourth quarter of this year to further boost 4G coverage to 96.9 per cent in populated areas nationwide.

"In the rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak as well as Orang Asli settlements, the provision of broadband services will be expedited using satellite technology.

"For that purpose, a total of 839 locations nationwide have been identified to ensure broadband coverage in hard-to-access areas to be covered with fibre optic and mobile technologies," he said.

Zahidi said broadband services using satellite technology were currently being implemented and were expected to be completed in stages starting this November.