Two tower-related stories from Malaysia indicate the continuing need for reliable infrastructure to meet the requirements of underserved rural areas.
First the operator Telekom Malaysia (TM), via its wholesale domestic and international business arm TM Wholesale, has collaborated with nine tower providers, giving it access to the nine companies’ tower site facilities.
This collaboration will allow the high-speed fibre optic network to connect to the towers, enabling high-quality network performance and capability.
Local media reports add that the partnership also underlines TM’s role as an enabler of Digital Malaysia in supporting the country’s digital aspirations, which include the Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela).
And Jendela is part of another recent tower story, in which integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company edotco Malaysia has handed over 113 new telecommunications towers for Phase 1 of Jendela. The new infrastructure was built across seven states.
The Jendela project, driven by regulator the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), aims to help mobile network operators expand and expedite mobile coverage availability in underserved rural areas. The telecommunications infrastructure will, it is hoped, bridge the digital divide by enabling public cellular services in areas with limited or no coverage.
Infrastructure company edotco specialises in end-to-end solutions in the tower services sector including co-locations, build-to-suit, energy, transmission and operations and maintenance.
The company says it began the tower installations in February 2020 simultaneously in all seven states. The tower installation includes radio equipment and other ancillaries at all 113 sites.
Phase 1 of the Jendela project encompasses 152 sites in eight states.
