MCMC, LLM Team Up To Boost Highway Connectivity

Under the “Di Mana Ada Jalan, Di Situ Ada Internet” initiative, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) will work together to map out about 50km of highways and trunk roads lacking proper internet coverage.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said discussions are ongoing, and exact locations are yet to be confirmed. He hopes these areas will be included in Phase 2 of the JENDELA programme, as many will likely require new telecom towers.

“This is in line with our guiding principle: Where there’s a road, there’s Internet”, said the minister.

Fahmi also shared that the Communications Ministry plans to roll out a proof of concept for direct-to-cell technology using Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites by Q3 or Q4 this year.

He said the project faced some technical delays, but discussions are still ongoing.

"With this technology, satellites can act as cell towers from space. For instance, someone on the coastline would be able to contact authorities immediately in emergencies

In places like islands where building 60-metre towers may not be feasible, direct-to-cell satellite technology can be a viable solution," Fahmi added.