KUALA LUMPUR: The subscription rate for fixed-line broadband through the Suburban Broadband (SUBB) and Rural Broadband (RBB) projects had increased by nine percent to 45 percent in September this year from only 36 percent in September last year.
Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin (pix) said a total of 654,812 connections have been made available under the projects as of September this year.
“The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) with the cooperation of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has always focused on improving the communication infrastructure by providing high-speed broadband coverage using various technologies across the country, including in rural areas,” he said during Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat sitting here today.
The deputy minister said this in reply to Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (PH-Hang Tuah Jaya) who wanted to know the current and future initiatives by the ministry to resolve internet network issues so that it is more widely available, fast, cheaper and effective, as well as the percentage of internet access in the suburban and rural areas following the SUBB and RBB projects.
Zahidi said through the Prihatin Network programme and the National Digital Network (Jendela) initiative, improvement of digital infrastructure were being implemented in phases, which would provide an equal quality of experience between urban and rural areas.
“Among the targets of the first phase, which is ongoing now until 2022, is to see an improvement from 4.95 million premises to 7.50 million premises gaining access to fixed-line broadband with gigabit speeds.
“Also to see the expansion of 4G mobile broadband coverage from 91.8 percent to 96.9 percent in populated areas, as well as to increase the average speed of mobile broadband from 25Mbps to 35Mbps,” he said.
Zahidi said in ensuring that more areas would have broadband coverage, the government, through the MCMC, is working to develop the national telecommunication services and infrastructure by using 4G technology, which has been seen as the technology capable of being developed quickly at a very reasonable cost. — Bernama
