467 Of 538 USP WiFi Locations At Public Institutions Of Higher Learning Nationwide Completed - Teo

KUALA NERUS, Nov 5 (Bernama) – A total of 467 out of 538 locations under the Universal Service Provision (USP) WiFi Project for public institutions of higher learning nationwide, representing 87 per cent, had been completed as of Oct 30, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said.

Teo said the project, which covers public institutions of higher learning as well as training institutions under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and the Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA), involves an estimated total cost of RM634.1 million through the USP Fund managed by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

She said that for Phase 3 of the project involving public higher education institutions, 66 per cent of the locations had been completed, while all projects at training institutions under MARA and KESUMA had been fully completed.

"For the implementation of this project, priority is given to areas with high internet usage, such as lecture halls, laboratories, libraries, learning centres and residential colleges.

"This is to ensure that the installation of WiFi 7 access points can provide high-speed internet connectivity to students and university students," she said after visiting the project site for the Service Testing and Briefing on the Implementation of the USP WiFi Project at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) here today.

Earlier, Teo also took part in an internet coverage testing journey aboard the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) train from the Gombak Integrated Terminal to the Kuala Terengganu ECRL Station, which took approximately three hours.

Meanwhile, Teo said UniSZA had installed 2,157 WiFi access points under Phases 2 and 3 of the USP WiFi Project, covering three main locations: Gong Badak Campus, Besut Campus and Sultan Zainal Abidin Hospital (HoSZA), thereby expanding coverage and increasing internet network capacity in learning, research and residential college areas.

In addition, she said a 4G telecommunications tower at UniSZA's Gong Badak Campus began operating last October to improve cellular network service quality around the campus.

"The implementation of the USP WiFi Project in Terengganu involves 37 locations, with an estimated value of RM45.5 million, covering public higher education institutions as well as institutions under MARA and KESUMA.

"As of Oct 30, a total of 33 locations, or 89 per cent of all locations involved, had been completed," she said.

-- BERNAMA