MP: More NFCP towers to be erected in Puncak Borneo

KUCHING: A few more National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) towers will be erected in Puncak Borneo to improve the telecommunication services and internet connectivity in the constituency.

Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities Willie Mongin said the additional towers would be erected in Kpg Puak (Bau), Kpg Danu, Bengoh Resettlement Scheme (Penrissen), Kpg Abang, Kpg Kamug, Kpg Maras, Kpg Muk Ayun, Kpg Simpok, Kpg Gayu (Padawan), Kpg Bunga, Kpg Baru Mawang, Kem Juara (Serian), and at Kpg Bisira Rayang.

He said these towers were now in the tender evaluation stage.

“From the very beginning, I have been talking about this (telecommunication) matter seriously for the people’s benefit.

“Puncak Borneo parliamentary constituency is also going to have additional towers built under the Sarawak government’s Digitalisation and Telecommunication Initiative, with Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) currently planning and implementing between 16 and 19 towers,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Willie said the first things he did after he won Puncak Borneo in 2018 was to make a visit to Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (Sarawak) and its headquarters to request for 20 towers to be erected in his constituency.

He said the following year the towers were erected and commissioned in eight areas – Kpg Segaa’, Kpg Tringgus, Kpg Timurang, Kpg Jambu, Kpg Subang, Kpg Sebemban, Kpg Munggu Kopi, and Kpg Senah Rayang.

In the same year, he also worked closely with Measat’s subsidiary CONNECTme to install satellite broadband internet services in Kpg Simuti, Borneo Highland Resort, Kpg Karu and Kpg Bratan.

“We are also planning to install the (satellite broadband) service in Kpg Sapit and other areas that are out of tele-communication grid,” he said.

He acknowledged there are certain areas in Puncak Borneo that are still not fully ‘connected’ although some of the areas are covered by 3G and 4G connection.

“There are also areas that are still not covered by 3G and 4G connection but are covered by the H+ and analogue signal connectivity only.

“Puncak Borneo already has six Internet centres, 41 USP towers including-Smallcell and we also have 43 3G/4G Upgrade towers.

“From the 41 USP towers, seven are the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) which is a satellite communications system located at Kpg Skio, Kpg Gumbang, Kpg Padang Pan, Sapit Pengkalan Empat, Kpg Sg Resit, Kpg Plaman Payang and Kpg Sadir in Padawan,” he said.

He said VSAT depended very much on the weather condition while the rest depended on microwave transmission.