KUCHING, April 30: Some 40 Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Telecommunication (SMART) towers are scheduled to be operational for the upcoming Gawai Dayak celebration.
Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi announced that these rural towers were part of the 512 out of 600 towers that have been physically completed.
Out of these completed SMART towers, 305 are already providing Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (MYSRBN) services, with 211 offering 4G mobility via MOCN technology.
MOCN, an architecture allowing multiple mobile network operators to share a common infrastructure (Radio Access Networks) while maintaining separate services for respective telcos, is powering these towers.
“Additionally, 784 out of 878 National Digital Network (Jendela) towers are physically completed, with 313 equipped to provide 4G services using MOCN technology.
“This raises the total number of completed telecommunication towers and structures in Sarawak from 4,217 at the end of 2023 to 4,447, aligning with the government’s commitment to enhance connectivity across rural Sarawak,” he said in a press statement today.
Julaihi emphasised the benefits of MOCN technology for end users, including better coverage, seamless connectivity, increased competition, cost efficiency, and faster deployment of network infrastructure.
Consequently, subscribers in covered areas can now enjoy mobile services from major operators such as CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, YTL Communications, and TM Tech.
“This remarkable achievement has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Sarawak government through its intervention programme.
“The Sarawak government has even increased the allocation from RM1.89 billion to over RM2 billion for capital expenses. Additionally, the federal government and mobile network operators will collectively invest RM207 million to support the operational expenses of these towers for the next three years,” he said.
This endeavour, Julaihi added, demonstrates the Sarawak government’s dedication to bridging the digital gap among the people of Sarawak, regardless of whether they reside in urban or rural areas.
It aims to ensure that every region of Sarawak benefits from enhanced connectivity and effortless communication, thereby enabling people to participate in the digital economy. — DayakDaily
