Instead of relying on telecommunication operators and user complaints to determine if an area has sufficient mobile coverage, the Communications and Multimedia Ministry is looking at a more comprehensive audit report process to measure the quality and performance of internet access throughout the country.
Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the details were being discussed with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to ensure it could be implemented with the best method.
The approach should get zones that have been left out due to economical reasons (operators often don’t invest in towers if the population is scarce or low) and close the gap on accessibility. Tan Sri Musa adds that he has instructed MCMC at the state level to regularly audit areas that experience ‘blind spots’, unstable supply by themselves instead of relying on reports from the telcos that are being complained about.
This comes after the Minister moved to have the regulatory body which oversees the telco’s, set up offices in all states to monitor connectivity issues in their respective vicinity.
Annuar was quoted saying “audit process should be done to improve existing weaknesses and to avoid relying on reports from telco companies alone.” He further commented, “when I visit an area, I will make a random check of the internet in that area and will compare it with the reports received.”
“Sometimes the reports are not the same as the internet situation in the area. I hope the telcos involved will have a responsible attitude,” he said.
The Minister has been coming hard on stakeholders managing the connectivity ecosystem, calling on operators and regulators to speed of coverage across all parts of the country. With 3G being shut off as of 31 December, 32 million Malaysians are expecting 4G under the JENDELA initiative to keep them connected efficiently until 5G arrives.
Till then telco’s will have to ensure their single network can support consumers, commercial users, machines with zero to minimal downtime.
