Liwan: 285 telco towers expected to be in full operation middle of 2023

A TOTAL of 285 telecommunication towers are expected to be fully operational in the second quarter of 2023, said Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Liwan Lagang.

He said these would be among the 3,471 telecommunication towers and structures already built in Sarawak, with 3,186 towers already operational.

“An estimated 7,000 telecommunication towers and structures are required to ensure full telecommunication coverage throughout Sarawak including in the rural areas,” he said during the question-and-answer session.

He was responding to Awla Dris (GPS-Simunjan)’s question on the extent of efforts to improve internet facilities in the rural areas.

Liwan also informed that the Sarawak government, through the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Telecommunication (SMART) Phase 1 and 2 projects under the Sarawak Linking Urban, Rural and Nation (Saluran) programme, had targeted as many as 600 towers to be erected in the rural areas in Sarawak.

“SMART Phase 1 is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2023 while SMART Phase 2 is expected to be operational towards the end of 2023,” he said.

In addition, he said, the federal government had allocated a total of 742 new towers under the Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela) initiative by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which had kickstarted earlier this year.

“So far, 40 towers have been operational, while civil construction works at 68 tower locations have been successfully completed and are now entering the stage of installation of transmitting equipment and electrical connections.

“A total of 742 new towers under the Jendela initiative are scheduled to operate in phases until the fourth quarter of 2023,” he said.