BUTTERWORTH — The Communications Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will study expanding telecommunications coverage targets, particularly for 5G, to include key economic areas such as ports, rail lines and highways.

Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the current Coverage of Populated Area (CoPA) metric should be reviewed to account for connectivity needs in areas with few or no residents but significant economic activity.

“CoPA is frequently used by telecommunications companies and international bodies to refer to connectivity in populated areas. However, when we talk about 5G access, areas such as ports have no residents but are hubs for significant economic activities,” he said.

He said Malaysia would also raise the issue at international forums, including an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) meeting in Doha in November, to discuss extending 5G and future technologies beyond populated areas to economic hubs.

Fahmi was speaking to reporters after launching the Penang Port Private 5G initiative at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) today, making Penang Port the first port in Malaysia to adopt a private 5G network through a collaboration between Altel Communications Sdn Bhd (Altel) and Penang Port.

Also present were Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo, Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general for telecommunications infrastructure V. Mano and MCMC managing director Abdul Karim Fakir Ali.