1,200 WiFi communities set up in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU – The government has set up 1,200 WiFi communities throughout Sabah in an effort to create interest and awareness on the importance of information and communications technology to the daily lives of the rural community.

State Resource and Information Technology Development Minister Datuk Siringan Gubat, however, said that out of the number, 339 WiFi communities had their contracts terminated as the areas involved already had cellular coverage such as the 3G.

“Meanwhile, another 73 WiFi communities are in the process of being set up in Sabah,” he said in reply to a question from Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (STAR-Bingkor).

Kitingan had asked on the government’s plans to improve the internet service in Sabah, including providing free WiFi facility like in Penang and Selangor.

Siringan also said that 212 communication towers had been erected for the provision of 2G and 3G cellular services in Sabah, adding that 440 locations had been upgraded for 3G while another two were in the process of being upgraded.

He said the 3G broadband coverage under the TIME 3 coverage expansion programme had reached up to Tanjung Labian and Tambisan.

However, he added, the hilly terrain and population densities that were scattered about were among the factors for the less than satisfactory coverage.