KUCHING: Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) conducted a kick-off meeting with Borneo Restu Sdn Bhd for the implementation of Point-of-Presence (PoP) Phase 2 project to improve Sarawak network services.
According to a press release, PoP is a project by the federal government under the Ministry of Communications and Digital to provide open access of fibre broadband access network using Fiber to the Home (FTTH) technology with up to 1 Gbps speed, entailing more than 2,500 kilometres of fiberisation work. It will utilise schools as the hub for PoPs in order to serve a minimum 3-kilometre radius of surrounding premises – making the network a more diverse infrastructure, including in the rural areas.
The kick-off meeting between SMA and Borneo Restu Sdn Bhd was to facilitate the way-leave application and to discuss further on the mitigation action plan required to expedite the project.
General manager of SMA Dr Zaidi Razak said the Sarawak government has put its utmost emphasis in ensuring that the rural communities have access to high-speed internet connectivity.
“Thus, we will try to assist as much as we can at the State level to ensure that this project can be expedited and delivered in time to ease the burden of the people in rural areas and all Sarawakians in general,” he said in a statement, yesterday (Jan 4).
“In addition, with the availability of the facility, we encourage ‘sharing principle’ for others to use the facility as it should not be isolated, ergo it opens up more opportunity for businesses, transfer of knowledge and technologies for the rakyat, industry players and investors in Sarawak,” added Zaidi.
The Sarawakian home grown company, Borneo Restu Sdn Bhd was awarded with a total of 681 PoPs under Phase 2 of the project, which is targeted to complete by 2025 connecting up to 75,000 premises including residentials state-wide.
Under the PoP Phase 1 project, Telekom Malaysia was awarded 60 PoPs at schools and seven industrial areas in Kota Samarahan, Serian, Sibu, Sarikei, Bintulu and Kapit, which are now still in progress.
