Operational telco towers in S’wak up to 60.2 pct between May-Nov this year, says minister

KUCHING (Nov 27): Sarawak’s operational telco towers have increased from 52.9 to 60.2 per cent between May and November this year, said Utility and Telecommunication Minister Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi.

He said at present, a total of 4,217 telecommunication towers (60.2 per cent) in Sarawak were now in operation.

“This is compared to the 3,708 operational telco towers (52.9 per cent) as I’ve informed in the last State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting.

“It is estimated that we need around 7,000 telco towers to achieve full coverage in populated areas by 2030,” he told the august House at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting here today.

He added that the coverage of Internet services in settlement areas in Sarawak was 76.3 per cent thus far.

He said the Sarawak government through the Sarawak Linking Urban, Rural and Nation (Saluran) initiative and the federal government through the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (Jendela) will continue their efforts to expand and improve telecommunications coverage in the state.

In winding up his ministerial speech, Julaihi said the state government has implemented intervention programmes to accelerate efforts to expand the coverage of rural telecommunication services in Sarawak through the Saluran initiative with an allocation of RM1.89 billion.

“Among the projects implemented under the Saluran initiative is the construction of 600 new telecommunication towers in rural areas known as the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Telecommunication (SMART) project,” he said.

He shared that mobile service providers were less interested in providing their services on SMART towers due to the limited commercial returns.

“As an intervention measure, the Sarawak government has held several engagement sessions with the federal government to ensure that all the SMART towers can operate.

“As a result of the engagement sessions, the federal government in collaboration with the main mobile service provider companies have reached an agreement to share the estimated operating costs of RM207 million.

“These operating costs are for a period of three years starting from 2024 to 2026,” he said, noting that once this period ends, the main mobile service provider company will fully bear the operating costs of all the towers.

On 5G, he said the federal government through Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) has provided an allocation of RM1 billion for the implementation of 5G in Sarawak from 2022 to 2030.

“A total of 589 5G sites are scheduled to operate throughout Sarawak by 2024 as targeted.

“This will contribute to 60 per cent 5G Coverage in Populated Areas (COPA) in Sarawak,” he said.

Later at a press conference, Julaihi said the state allocation of RM1.89 billion was ongoing with Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) still implementing the installation of telco equipment on the ground.

“I have witnessed a few towers that are being installed with equipment such as in Bintulu and recently, we saw telco towers in Sungai Sungan (in Serian) and Sungai Silas (in Bintulu) which were completed until they went on air.

“These have benefitted several villages and longhouses in the vicinity,” he said.