Numerous communications infrastructure projects under USP programme have been and currently being implemented throughout the country, especially in rural areas to ensure accessibility of communications as well as improving the quality of services to the public.
Initiatives under the USP programme are implemented holistically through four (4) cores which are:
1. MOBILE BROADBAND COVERAGE EXPANSION
To expand the coverage of mobile broadband coverage, new communications towers were implemented since 2009 in areas where there is no service and in areas with poor service coverage.
The construction of these new communications towers were implemented through 2 major projects, namely the Time 3 project involving the construction of 1,000 communications towers and Time 3 Extension project, which also involves an additional of 1,000 communications towers making it an overall figure of 2,000 communications towers nationwide.
Besides that, an additional 100 small-scale communications towers providing 3G mobile broadband services were also built to address service coverage issue in dispersed population and blind-spot areas.
- UPGRADE OF EXISTING COMMUNICATIONS TOWERS
Apart from the implementation of new communications towers under the Time 3 and Time 3 Extension projects, existing communications towers were upgraded to accommodate the increasing demand of mobile broadband. Through this initiative, existing communications towers that only providing 2G/3G services will be upgraded to 3G/4G services.
2.FIXED BROADBAND EXPANSION
- SUBURBAN BROADBAND & RURAL BROADBAND
Suburban Broadband (SUBB) and Rural Broadband (RBB) initiatives have been implemented since 2015 with the objective of boosting the national broadband penetration rate by providing high speed broadband services to end users in suburban and rural areas.
SUBB initiative is implemented through public-private partnership (PPP) between Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and the Government involving the installation of new fibre optic networks and the upgrades of 433 exchanges nationwide. For RBB initiative, it is fully funded under the USP programme involving the upgrades of 314 exchanges nationwide.
3. CORE NETWORK DEVELOPMENT
- FIBER OPTIC NETWORK EXPANSION
This initiative is implemented to provide the backhaul network to support the provision of high speed broadband services to consumers covering both fixed and mobile networks in rural areas.
- SUBMARINE CABLE SYSTEM TO SABAH & SARAWAK
This submarine cable system were implemented to meet the growing demand of bandwidth between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak and completed in May 2017 through public-private partnership with Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM).
The total distance of the submarine cable network that has been successfully implemented is 3,819 kilometres with current capacity of 4Tbps, comprising the upgrading of 6 submarine cable landing stations, connecting Peninsular Malaysia to Sarawak and Sabah.
- SUBMARINE CABLE SYSTEM TO THE ISLANDS
This initiative was implemented in 2017 which involved the installation of submarine fibre optic cables between mainland to Tioman Island, Pangkor Island and Perhentian Island with a total distance of 99 kilometres and current capacity of 100 Gbps.
The intiative was fully completed in December 2018; enabling the provision of high-speed broadband to the three islands to accommodate the increasing demand for bandwidth and services from the communities.
4. COMMUNITY ACCESS AND SUPPORT PROGRAMME
The Internet Centre provides collective internet access facilities and various training including ICT and entrepreneurship training that offered for free to all registered members. It also provides additional services such as printing, photocopying, scanning and lamination.
The internet centres were implemented in the underserved areas such as in rural areas and the urban-poor areas throughout the country.
Various programmes are also being organised at the Internet Centre such as internet awareness and security programme through Klik Dengan Bijak campaign, creativity and innovation development in the areas of 3D printing, drones and robotics under MyMaker society, free health screening program through Kospen (Komuniti Sihat Pembina Negara) and other community programmes.
The smart device subsidy initiative was first introduced in 2014 by offering selected model of smartphones to users under the B40 group in rural areas. Through this initiative, eligible users will receive a RM250 subsidy including a one year free internet subscription for the selected smartphones purchase. This subsidy is offered through major service providers namely Celcom, Maxis, DiGi and U Mobile.