Following a viral story of a student in Sabah who had to climb a tree to get a good 3G Internet connection for her exam, this time, another student from Pakan, Sarawak shared her experience about spending time in the jungle just to get Internet connection for e-learning.
Rose, reported to be 24 years old, lives in a longhouse in Pakan, Sarawak, which is said to be four to five hours drive away from capital city Kuching. Last Wednesday, the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris final year student shared her story on Facebook about the challenges she faced to get a stable Internet connection, to access e-learning portals such as “MyGuru, MyUpsi Portal & Pustaka Upsi”.
At the time of writing, her Facebook post received over 10,000 likes, over 1,200 comments and some 4,800 likes. Below is her Facebook posting:
The student did not reveal the name of the mobile service provider (Telco) that she was using in her Facebook posting.
In response to her posting, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) released a media statement (that was not sent to MalaysianWireless) saying that it will investigate the mobile coverage issues faced by the student and the residents of Pakan.
The regulator, which is responsible for mobile coverage in rural areas as part of the Universal Service Provider (USP) multi-billion fund, said that to date, a total of 185 new telecommunication towers under the National Optical and Connectivity Plan (NFCP 2) will be built across all Divisions of Sarawak. Of these, seven (7) new towers have been planned to be built in Pakan. All of these Telco towers are expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2021 (by July 2020).
As of May 2020, MCMC in collaboration with telecommunications companies has built 553 new telecommunications towers in addition to upgrading a total of 1,064 telecommunications towers to 3G and/or 4G across Sarawak.
MCMC also said that it is aware of the poor mobile coverage across Sarawak, especially in rural areas. It points out that factors such a geography, lack of electricity are among the challenges to set up a new telco tower in rural areas. Alternative method being used are satellite network and diesel powered Telco towers but these may result in unstable coverage/network, it said.
Full media statement from MCMC last Thursday.
[box type=”info” align=”aligncenter” ]
MCMC GIATKAN USAHA PENYAMPAIAN PERKHIDMATAN TELEKOMUNIKASI DAN JALUR LEBAR DI KAWASAN PEDALAMAN SARAWAK
Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (MCMC) akan membuat tinjauan di sebuah perkampungan di Pakan, Sarawak dalam tempoh terdekat bagi mendapatkan gambaran sebenar kisah pelajar dan penduduk di kawasan berkenaan yang terpaksa keluar jauh daripada kediaman mereka bagi mendapatkan liputan perkhidmatan komunikasi.
Hasil tinjauan akan dipadankan dengan pelan pembangunan telekomunikasi yang telah dirancang untuk kawasan tersebut bagi membolehkan rakyat menikmati perkhidmatan komunikasi berkualiti sekaligus memperbaiki taraf kehidupan mereka.
Setakat ini, sebanyak 185 menara telekomunikasi baharu di bawah Pelan Gentian Optik dan Kesalinghubungan Negara (NFCP 2) akan mula dibina meliputi semua Bahagian di Sarawak. Daripada jumlah tersebut, tujuh (7) menara baharu dirancang untuk dibina di Pakan. Kesemua menara tersebut dijangka siap dan beroperasi sepenuhnya pada suku ketiga 2021.
Inisiatif peluasan liputan komunikasi merupakan usaha berterusan oleh MCMC sejak dana Pemberian Perkhidmatan Sejagat (USP) mula diwujudkan pada 2003. Sehingga Mei 2020, MCMC dengan kerjasama syarikat-syarikat telekomunikasi telah mendirikan sejumlah 553 menara telekomunikasi selain menaik taraf sejumlah 1,064 menara telekomunikasi kepada rangkaian 3G dan 4G di Sarawak.
MCMC sedar masih terdapat banyak kawasan yang belum mendapat liputan komunikasi menyeluruh dan stabil terutamanya di kawasan luar bandar. Selain bentuk muka bumi yang berbukit-bukau dan laluan masuk yang sukar, masalah ketiadaan bekalan elektrik juga menjadi cabaran kepada MCMC dan syarikat telekomunikasi untuk membina menara di kawasan pedalaman. Antara kaedah alternatif yang diguna pakai bagi mengatasinya ialah penggunaan rangkaian satelit dan bekalan janakuasa diesel yang menyebabkan liputan tidak stabil.
MCMC komited dengan misinya untuk menyediakan perkhidmatan komunikasi yang menyeluruh kepada rakyat, terutamanya di kawasan luar bandar dalam usaha merapatkan jurang digital di seluruh negara.
Dikeluarkan oleh:
Jabatan Komunikasi Korporat MCMC
[PDF]
[/box]
