The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has visited Kampung Sapatalang, Pitas to improve the Internet connectivity there after learning about Veveonah Mosibin, the Sabah student who spent 24 hours in a tree to get a stable Internet connection for her university online exams.
The 18-year-old student from Universiti Malaya Sabah (UMS), uploaded a video titled ’24 Hours On Tree Challenge’ sharing what she had to do in order to get stable Internet connectivity for her online exams.
According to The Star, MCMC told LifestyleTech that they have decided to take action after conducting an observation around the village on 15 June.
“Based on reports, there is one telecommunication tower providing 3G coverage within 1.4km of the student’s village,” MCMC said.
“The 3G coverage was sufficient for students who need an Internet connection for online examinations. For streaming activities, wider coverage will be needed.”
MCMC added that they plan to install a new telecommunication tower at Kampung Bilangau Kecil, which is located near Kampung Sapatalang. This tower will be installed under the National Fiber and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) 1 to improve the Internet in the area and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021.
Additionally, MCMC said that they had been planning to improve the Internet coverage in Kampung Sapatalang to 4G since early this year under the Universal Service Provision programme.
“MCMC is always aware of, and concerned with, community complaints regarding telecommunication facilities, especially in the rural areas and is undertaking ongoing efforts to bridge the digital divide across the country,” they said.
Also read: Sabahan Student Spent 24 Hours In A TREE To Get Good Internet Connection For Her Online Exam