Following several reports regarding the issue of Internet access at Orang Asli Villages at POS Bihai and POS Balar in Gua Musang, Kelantan, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission afetr conducting its investigation has contacted teleommunication vendors to provide satelite service as a short tem solution and potentially to buil a telco tower as a permanent solution.
With the location of the two villages is estimated to be 300 km from Kota Bharu, access to the village is quite difficult through unpaved and hilly roads up to 70 km.
To overcome the issue MCMC is working service providers Numix Engineering Sdn Bhd and the owner of the related transmitter tower, CelcomDigi to find a suitable solution. As for the short-term solution Numix has agreed and committed to increase the existing free Internet usage quota from 8 GB to 12 GB per month per user.
As a medium-term solution, MCMC and CelcomDigi plans to increase the capacity of Very Small Aperture Terminal backhaul (VSAT) for each existing transmitter in Kg. Tandrik, POS Belatin, and POS Balar from 4 Mbps to 10 Mbps temporarily. Medium term approach this will be completed in the second quarter of 2023. This is a temporary solution, because there has been comprehensive planning underway for upgrade the use of this VSAT with more stable optical fibers as well high capacity by CelcomDigi. This implementation is partial from MCMC’s efforts to improve the speed of 4G services in under the JENDELA initiative Phase 1. Works to upgrade the tower this telecommunication from VSAT to optical fiber is expected to be completed in May 2024.
For a long-term solution, MCMC in collaboration with CelcomDigi in examining the possibility to develop a telecommunications tower near the area with fiber optic backhaul, this will give the residents coverage indefinetely.
