The first phase of Malaysia's Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela) (2020 to 2022) has not only met but surpassed some of its targets said the Minister of Communications and Digital. That robust progress also caught the attention of the World Summit on the Information Society Prizes 2023 (WSIS Prizes 2023), which judged the Jendela project and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission as the winner of its WSIS Prizes 2023 for Category C2 - Information and communication infrastructure: an essential foundation for an inclusive information society, sponsored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD in Geneva, Switzerland, on 14 March 2023.

Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications and Digital said that by the fourth quarter of 2022, Phase 1, with its focus to optimise existing resources and building new sites where needed had successfully connected 7.74 million premises with fibre optic, achieve an average mobile data rate of 116.03Mbps, and expanded 4G coverage to 96.92% of populated areas.  

These numbers beat the year-end target of 7.5 million premises, 35 Mbps, and 96.9% coverage.

At the same time, 839 orang asli communities and rural areas have gained access to the Internet via satellite in Sarawak, Sabah Orang Asli Villages, and in some areas in Peninsular Malaysia.

Under Phase 2, the targets have been stretched further to achieve 9 million premises passed with gigabit access, 100% internet coverage in populated areas and 100 Mbps mobile broadband speed leveraging on 5G technology by the end 2025. The targets are also in line with the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

Sharing some 5G data points, Fahmi said, “The implementation of 5G which was originally planned under the Phase 2 of Jendela (2023-2025) has been initiated in Phase 1 at the end of 2021. The implementation of 5G managed by Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) is now on track to achieve the set target, As of February 2023, a total of 4,363 5G sites have been completed across the country. With that amount, 5G network availability has reached 54.7% of the population in populated areas, with a target of 80% in populated areas by the end of 2023.”

He added that with internet access reaching 97% for populated areas, the government will continue efforts to ensure the quality of Internet service will be provided by looking at issues such as coverage gaps (potholes) to improve Quality Standards and Quality of Experience (QoS and QoE) such as on highways, in buildings, and stadiums.

Meanwhile, the coverage of the remaining 3% of the populated area will be the main focus for Jendela Phase 2 (2023-2025), including the availability of fibre optic connections to nine million premises nationwide to be achieved by the end of 2025.