188 locations in 26 districts installed with Starlink high-speed internet technology

KOTA KINABALU: A hundred and eighty-eight locations in 26 districts here have been installed with the Starlink high-speed internet technology as part of the State Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (KSTI)’s efforts to expand internet coverage in rural areas.

KSTI Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said installation works for the remaining 112 locations are underway by his ministry’s Sabah Net agency, and the project is expected to be completed by May this year.

He said the locations were jointly identified by his ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) as rural areas with internet coverage problems, and the Starlink technology will be able to provide these areas with up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) of high-speed internet.

Mohd Arifin said the initiative is also an interim measure to provide internet access while waiting for the National Digital Network (Jendela) project to be completed.

He added that under the Jendela initiative, MCMC has provided a total of 138 locations with the Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) satellite broadband service in remote areas in Sabah which have difficulty accessing certain internet technology such as backhaul fiber optic.

“For information, the internet satellite access service provided by MCMC is given free of charge for a period of two years.

“As of the fourth quarter of 2023, all 138 BWAs are still fully operational in the state of Sabah,” he said at the State Assembly sitting on Wednesday.

He was responding to Sebatik assemblyman Datuk Hassan A Gani Pg Amir who had asked on the government’s efforts to expand internet coverage in areas here through the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and Starlink technologies.

Arifin said the government through MCMC is currently conducting a Proof of Concept (POC) for the installation of Starlink satellite devices in 40 locations across the country to assess the feasibility of implementing Starlink broadband services as a one-year interim measure to resolve connectivity issues in areas that face coverage problems, including schools and remote areas, before a concrete solution is implemented.

“This POC is divided into two phases, where phase one involves ten Starlink device units, which have been installed in selected locations throughout the country, including two in the state of Sabah which are in Kampung Langsat, Ranau and SK Malaing, Keningau. Phase two of the POC is currently being implemented, with eight Starlink devices planned in various locations in Sabah, including Tawau, Kudat, Tuaran, Kinabatangan, Keningau, Nabawan and Papar.

“Starlink satellite internet service can also be subscribed directly by all citizens in the country through the official Starlink website,” he said.