IPTA Wi-Fi Project 76 Pct Complete, 408 Locations Covered - Teo

NIBONG TEBAL, Oct 3 (Bernama) -- The Public Higher Education Institution (IPTA) Wi-Fi Project had reached 76 per cent completion as of Sept 30, with Wi-Fi facilities installed at 408 of the 538 locations identified, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.

She said work at the remaining locations was ongoing, with the RM634.1 million project funded through the Universal Service Provision (USP) fund under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Teo said work at 14 locations under Phase 1 and 177 locations under Phase 2 had been fully completed, involving various public higher education institutions as well as skills training institutions under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA).

“For Phase 3, we have selected 206 locations, with work completed at 80 of them. For institutions under MARA, work has been completed at 106 of the 110 locations selected, while work at all 31 locations for training institutions under KESUMA has been completed.

“So, work has been completed at 408 of the 538 locations, representing a 76 per cent completion rate,” she said at a press conference after visiting the project site at the Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), here today.

Also present were State Local Government, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye; USM Digital Transformation Centre Chief Digital Officer and director Prof Dr Nor Ashidi Mat Isa; and MCMC Northern Region senior director Izani Othman.

Teo, who is on a two-day working visit to Penang, said the IPTA Wi-Fi project focuses on areas with high internet usage, including lecture halls, laboratories, libraries, student centres and residential colleges.

In Penang, she said the project involves 32 locations comprising IPTAs as well as institutions under MARA and KESUMA, with work completed at 24 locations as of Sept 29 at an estimated cost of RM61.5 million.

Commenting on the project at USM, Teo said 822 additional access points under Phase 3 had been installed as of Sept 18, with 740 at the USM Nibong Tebal campus and 41 each at USM IPPT Bertam and USM Bukit Jambul.

She said the installation of the additional access points brought the total number of operational access points at USM to 1,925, including 1,103 provided under Phase 2, as of Sept 30.

“The installation of an additional 4,150 access points at the USM Main Campus is currently underway and is expected to be completed by the end of this month,” she said.

Teo said she was encouraged by the positive feedback from USM students on the improved internet coverage and connectivity following the project’s implementation.

The project, implemented under the National Digital Network (JENDELA) initiative, is aimed at strengthening high-speed internet access at public university campuses nationwide.

The initiative to provide more stable and comprehensive network infrastructure for students and the university community is in line with the MADANI Government’s efforts to expand digital access to all segments of society.

--BERNAMA