Communications Ministry plans to use 5G-Advanced technology for live streams during SUKMA 2024

KUCHING: The Ministry of Communications plans to utilise 5G-Advanced or 5.5G technology for live streaming during the Malaysia Games (SUKMA) in Sarawak this August through Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), according to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had received applications from telecommunications companies eager to collaborate with RTM for the purpose.

“The difference is that while 5G offers internet speeds of up to almost 1 Gbps, 5G-Advanced can achieve over 8 Gbps, which is eight times faster.

“This speed is particularly necessary in broadcasting if we want to integrate certain live elements into the broadcast. I see this as quite an exciting technology, and we will work towards implementing it for SUKMA,“ Fahmi told reporters after meeting with the Sarawak MADANI Community.

The event was also attended by the director-general of the Department of Information (JaPen), Julina Johan.

When asked whether the technology would also be used in other SUKMA locations such as Sibu and Bintulu, Fahmi said the ministry would first need to study some technical aspects and carry out a field study.

“It cannot be widely used yet, we will conduct it as a proof of concept, we will use it in Kuching, we have some technical aspects that we need to study,“ he said.

Meanwhile, Fahmi said he also expected Malaysia to be able to provide satellite direct-to-device (D2D) services in 2026 or 2027.

He said Malaysia was currently in discussions with three foreign companies that handled the technology, though no applications had been received from them as yet.

“However, in many countries, this technology is still at the trial stage and has not been fully implemented. For instance, in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just released a report on the study concerning the technology,“ he said.

According to Fahmi, in Malaysia’s effort to achieve 100 per cent internet coverage in populated areas, it is important to incorporate new technologies, including satellite internet and D2D.