ALOR SETAR, April 22 — A total of RM1.6 billion is required for the development of internet facilities and infrastructure in Kedah covering various scopes under the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela) being implemented until 2025.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the allocation, among others, involved the construction of a number of new towers which are expected to be fully completed by the end of this year under phase one of Jendela.

"The first scope involves the construction of new towers to complete the network migration programme from 3G to 4G. To complete the 4G facilities the need for new towers is a must.

"There is progress where 40 per cent is completed but there is still 60 per cent in the process of implementation and we hope it will be completed before the end of this year,” he told reporters at the breaking of fast event with the Minister of Communications and Multimedia here today.

He said a number of transmitter towers in the state need to be upgraded with implementation currently underway to enable 4G network services to be provided to the residents.

In addition, he said the installation of fiber optic facilities in premises and residences as well as schools was also underway under phase one of Jendela.

"For Kedah, there are many rural areas and rural schools that do not have fiber-optic networks. In the early stages, the government tried to supply internet services to schools using wireless facilities but these projects faced disruptions and have been stopped.

"We are now thinking that schools must use the Point of Presence (PoP) fiber-optic network and in Kedah alone more than 300 rural schools have been identified where we have issued tenders which are now being evaluated,” he said.

Annuar also said that the scope or other components that need to be developed related to internet services in the state include equipping the Keluarga Malaysia Digital Economy Centre (PEDi) with the necessary facilities.

He said although all these internet facilities or infrastructure will eventually be ready later on, it did not mean that development was complete as other matters, such as the use of the latest technology, also need to be addressed.

"There are one or two technologies that we are evaluating, especially for areas that are too remote. Now we use the concept of satellites, but now there are more advanced technologies that use satellites, referred to as low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, that we are researching and studying.

"That is all within the scope under the RM1.6 billion expenditure and we hope it can run according to schedule,” he said. — Bernama