LETTER | Internet as utility in Penang: A tentative step in the right direction

LETTER |In line with the Penang 2030 vision, the state government has made it mandatory for the installation of fibre optic telecommunications infrastructure as a basic utility equivalent to water and electricity for all new development projects in the state.

With this decision, Penang has become the first state in Malaysia committing to providing high quality and comprehensive digital infrastructure to meet the needs of the new normal and bolster digital economy growth.

This will be implemented under the Penang Connectivity Master Plan which mandates the installation of permanent telecommunications infrastructure as part of the required basic infrastructure provisions under By-Laws 25 and 27 of the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984.

While the Penang state’s decision is certainly a welcome development, it should be noted that existing homes and buildings will not benefit from this decision, as the requirement only applies to new development projects.

With the pandemic forcing educational, social, and commercial interactions into online spaces, connectivity has become fundamental, and the internet has become a lifeline - but not for everyone.

While Malaysians turned to the internet to work from home, keep businesses afloat, continue lessons, and stay connected, many remained without internet access and devices. 

Almost 40 percent of students do not have access to devices for online lessons, and rural computer usage remains at 54 percent compared to 74 percent in urban areas.

TV White Spaces: An opportunity to transform Malaysia’s digital divides into digital dividends

As the digital divide threatens to become a digital chasm, Malaysia continues to depend on fiberisation, which tends to be cost-intensive and time-consuming compared to other technologies which have the potential to complement fiberisation efforts.

One such example is TV White Spaces, the utilisation of unused TV spectrum to transmit internet.

According to GSMA, the expression “white spaces” is used to define the parts of the spectrum that are not used at a particular time and geographical location.

Typically, TV White Spaces consist of unused spectrum in the television broadcasting bands. Among its advantages are longer range and greater coverage area compared to conventional connectivity. It also has greater obstacle penetration in challenging terrain, which makes it suitable for rural locations.

This technology has been implemented in Kenya, the Philippines, and neighbouring Singapore, and Malaysia stands to greatly benefit by leveraging this technology to bridge the digital divide.

The implementation of TV White Spaces is complementary to fiberisation, providing remote and rural areas with an option for connectivity, without having to bear the high cost of laying fibre through dense forests or mountainous areas.

This decision benefits future developments, largely in urban settings, without retrospective effect, and may not include the various kampungs and rural locations.

Perhaps it is time that Penang and other states in Malaysia consider complementary technologies such as TV White Spaces alongside expanding fiberisation, to not only future-proof new developments but ensure accessible, inclusive, and sustainable internet access for existing homes and communities.

Connectivity is the electricity of the 21st century. It is not a luxury; it is a critical infrastructure.

NABILA HUSSAIN is tech fellow at Social & Economic Research Initiative (Seri).

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.