6 days ago
SMART project sees 582 telecommunications towers in Sarawak completed, 90.2 pct coverage reached
Julaihi said of the 582 completed towers, 481 are already operational. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (July 1): A total of 582 out of 618 telecommunications towers planned under the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Transformation (SMART) project have been completed, with the remaining 36 still under construction as of May 31.
Utility and Telecommunication Minister Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi said of the 582 completed towers, 481 are already operational.
These include 420 towers offering both Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (MySRBN) broadband services and 4G mobile connectivity via Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) technology, 55 providing MySRBN-only access, and six serving as repeater sites.
'This marks a major milestone in our mission to enhance digital connectivity and bridge the digital divide across Sarawak.
'The current internet coverage by settlement stands at 90.2 per cent and is expected to reach 93.6 per cent by the end of 2025,' he said in a speech delivered by ministry deputy permanent secretary Syed Mohamad Fauzi Shahab for Digital Technology Nexus 2025 (DigitalNEXUS) organised by Universiti Sarawak Malaysia (Unimas) here today.
Julaihi pointed out that Sarawak is among the earliest states to adopt 5G technology, with current Coverage of Populated Areas (Copa) reaching 63.8 per cent.
'The enhanced capabilities of 5G, such as higher speeds, lower latency, and increased capacity, are poised to revolutionise sectors including remote healthcare, industrial automation, transportation, smart cities, and entertainment,' he said.
He added that the SMART initiative, one of the state's largest infrastructure projects, involves the rollout of 600 telecommunication towers and 18 repeater towers.
Equipped with the MOCN system, it enables multiple telecommunications companies to share infrastructure, reducing costs and accelerating coverage expansion.
To further enhance access, Julaihi said initiatives such as WiFi Saluran and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) have been introduced to provide wireless internet to rural and suburban households.
'Complementing these efforts, the state's homegrown MySRBN initiative plays a vital role in delivering fixed wireless broadband to households, schools, and clinics in underserved areas, supporting e-learning, small businesses, telemedicine, and digital public services,' he added.
The SMART initiative and expanding 5G coverage are part of Sarawak's broader digital transformation efforts aligned with the state's Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030. julaihi narawi lead Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Transformation
