Editing Telecommunications in Malaysia

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'''Telecommunications in Malaysia''' falls under the oversight of the [[Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission|Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)]]. Established under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the MCMC issues licenses for [[broadcasting]], [[Mail|postal]], and [[digital signature]] services, while also enforcing industry standards across the country. The commission is also responsible for enforcing the regulations stated under the Postal Services Act 2012 and the Digital Signature Act 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Communications and Multimedia Act 1998|url=https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/legislation/communications-and-multimedia-act-1998|access-date=2025-05-06}}</ref>

At the state level, [[Sarawak]]’s telecommunications sector is co‑regulated by the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), established under Section 3 of the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Ordinance 2017. Since its inception, the SMA and MCMC have collaborated to develop and implement [[digital economy]] initiatives and oversee the rollout of telecom infrastructure in Sarawak. In 2022, Sarawak's Ministry of Public Utilities (renamed Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication) added a dedicated Telecommunication Division to manage sector reporting directly to the [[Sarawak State Legislative Assembly|Sarawak Legislative Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sarawak Multimedia Authority Ordinance 2017|url=https://lawnet.sarawak.gov.my/lawnet/Law/TLnetPubHome.jsp|access-date=2025-05-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication, Sarawak|url=https://mut.sarawak.gov.my/web/home/index/|access-date=2025-05-06}}</ref>

==History==

{{main|History of telecommunications in Malaysia}}
For over a century, Malaysia's telecom system has evolved from colonial telegraph lines to a modern IP‑based network. The [[British Empire|British colonial administration]] present in Malaysia from the 18th century, established the country's earliest telecommunications facilities.{{Expand acronym|in|date=April 2025}} The administration first consolidated telegraph services under the Posts & Telegraphs Department in the 1800s, introducing manual [[magneto|magneto‑operated]] telephones in [[Perak]] in the 1880s and establishing the first public telephone exchange at [[Ipoh]] in 1902.

[[Kuala Lumpur]] received telephone service in 1891, and by 1915 an underground cable linked central Perak towns. At the turn of the century, a major telephone line connecting [[Seberang Perai|Province Wellesley (Seberang Prai)]] in [[Penang]] to [[Johor Bahru]] was constructed. In 1915, the first underground cable was laid, linking the central Pirak towns of [[Taiping, Perak|Taiping]], [[Kampar, Perak|Kampar]], and [[Teluk Intan|Teluk Anson]].

With increased trade and the development of townships, the number of telephone subscribers in [[Peninsular Malaysia]] grew significantly. By 1930, to handle the volume of telephone traffic, an automated magneto exchange was commissioned in Kuala Lumpur on Jalan Weld. In the 1930s, all telephone exchanges in the Malayan Trunk System could communicate with exchanges in [[Java]], the Philippines, the United States, Canada, and Mexico using [[Shortwave radio|shortwave radio-telephone transmitters]]. Towards the end of the decade, a Marconi Radio Terminal was installed at the Kuala Lumpur Telephone Exchange to manage overseas calls.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Milner|first=Robin|title=The Telecommunications History of Malaysia|year=2001|publisher=KL Heritage Press}}</ref>

Much of this telecommunication's infrastructure was damaged during [[World War II]] and the [[Japanese occupation of Malaya|Japanese occupation]]. In 1946, upon re-establishing their position in Malaya, the British repaired trunk routes, restored fallen telephone poles, and replaced damaged or stolen copper wires. During the Japanese occupation, the Posts & Telegraphs Department had been divided into two separate units. The British initially reunited the two entities upon their return, but this effort was short-lived. With the formation of the [[Malayan Union]] on April 1, 1946, the [[Malaysian Telecommunications Department]] and [[Pos Malaysia|Postal Services Department]] were created; the former controlled telegraph, telephone, and wireless services, while the latter oversaw mail, money orders, and savings accounts.

== Telephones system ==

By Q4 of 2019, fixed‑line telephone subscriptions stood at approximately 6.47 million, while mobile cellular subscriptions reached 44.60 million, corresponding to penetration rates of roughly 20% and 135% respectively.<ref>{{Cite news |author=MCMC |date=2019 |access-date=2025-05-06 |title=4Q 2019 COMMUNICATIONS & MULTIMEDIA Facts & Figures |url=https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/4Q-2019-C-M-Infographic.pdf |work=MCMC |pages=1–7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |author=MCMC |date=2019 |access-date=2025-05-06 |title=4Q 2019 COMMUNICATIONS & MULTIMEDIA Facts & Figures |url=https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/4Q-2019-C-M-Infographic.pdf |pages=1–7}}</ref> In March 2021, Digital Nasional Berhad was launched to deploy 5G infrastructure; nationwide 5G coverage is targeted at 80% of populated areas by end‑2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital Nasional Berhad on Target for 80% 5G Nationwide Coverage in 2024|url=https://www.digital-nasional.com.my/digital-nasional-berhad-target-80-5g-nationwide-coverage-2024-end-2022-target-exceeded-reaching-50|access-date=2025-05-06}}</ref>

===Telephone system===

Domestic communication connectivity in [[Peninsular Malaysia]] and [[East Malaysia]] is provided by both fixed and wireless infrastructure, including fiber networks, [[ADSL|Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line]] networks, mobile base stations, earth stations, and microwave link stations. Intercity communication service (backhaul) in Peninsular and East Malaysia primarily relies on fiber optic connections and fixed wireless systems (microwave links). Additionally, [[Very Small Aperture Terminal]] (VSAT) systems are deployed for service provision in rural areas. Major telecommunication operators in Malaysia include YTL's [https://www.yes.my Yes], [[Celcom|Celcom Axiata Berhad]], [[Digi Telecommunications|Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd]], [[Maxis Communications|Maxis Berhad]], [[U Mobile|U Mobile Sdn Bhd]], [[Telekom Malaysia]], and [[TIME dotCom|Time dotCom]].

International connectivity is provided via submarine cables to Tier 1 networks,<ref>[https://drpeering.net/FAQ/Who-are-the-Tier-1-ISPs.php Who are the Tier 1 ISPs?] / Dr Peering International</ref> which can reach every other network on the Internet solely via settlement-free interconnection. Major submarine cable providers in Malaysia include [[Telekom Malaysia]] and [[TIME dotCom|Time dotCom]]. Satellite services, provided by [[MEASAT Satellite Systems|MEASAT]], offer coverage to many countries.

==Broadband==
Total broadband subscriptions were 43.378 million as of 2019, resulting in a broadband penetration rate of 131.7% per 100 inhabitants.<ref>[https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/4Q-2019-C-M-Infographic.pdf Broadband 4Q 2019] / Communications and Multimedia: Facts and Figures, 4Q 2019</ref>

=== Fixed broadband development ===
In 2019, fixed broadband accounted for 6.79% of the total broadband market share, comprising 2.947 million subscriptions<ref>[https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/4Q-2019-C-M-Infographic.pdf Broadband 4Q 2019] / Communications and Multimedia : Facts and Figures, 4Q 2019</ref> (up from 2.7 million<ref>[https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/4Q18.pdf Broadband 4Q 2018] / Communications and Multimedia : Facts and Figures, 4Q 2018</ref> in 2018).

Fixed broadband services are delivered using technologies including [[ADSL|Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line]], [[Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line]] (SDSL), [[VDSL|Very-high bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line]], [[Fiber to the x|Fiber-to-the-Home]] (FTTH), [[Satellite Internet access|Satellite]], [[Wireless local loop|Fixed Wireless Access]] (FWA), and [[Evolution-Data Optimized]] (EVDO).

The High-Speed Broadband project (HSBB), introduced in 2008, aimed to improve the quality of broadband access and enable users in major cities and high-impact economic areas to achieve speeds up to 100 Megabits per second. The Suburban Broadband (SUBB) and Rural Broadband (RBB) initiatives provide speeds up to 20 Megabits per second for users in suburban and rural areas.

On August 28, 2019, the Government approved the implementation of the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) for the period 2019 to 2023.

The NFCP targets included:
* Achieving an entry-level fixed broadband package at 1% of GNI by 2020.
* Ensuring Gigabit availability in selected industrial areas by 2020 and all State Capitals by 2023.
* Providing 100% availability for premises in State Capitals and high-impact areas with speeds of at least 500&nbsp;Mbit/s by 2021.
* Reaching 20% of sub-urban and rural premises with up to 500 Mbit/s by 2022.
* Fiber network pass-through to 70% of schools, hospitals, libraries, police stations, and post offices by 2022.
* Attaining an average speed of 30 Mbit/s in 98% of populated areas by 2023.
* Improving mobile coverage along the Pan Borneo highway upon completion.

=== Mobile broadband development ===
In 2019, mobile broadband contributed 93.21% of the total broadband market share, with 40.431 million subscriptions as of Q4 2019<ref>[https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/4Q-2019-C-M-Infographic.pdf Broadband 4Q 2019] / Communications and Multimedia : Facts and Figures, 4Q 2019</ref> (compared to 36.8 million<ref>[https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/4Q18.pdf Broadband 4Q 2018] / Communications and Multimedia : Facts and Figures, 4Q 2018</ref> in 2018).

==== Upgrading and expansion of network coverage ====
The Time 3 and Time 3 Extension initiatives involved the construction of 1,833 new communications towers in rural areas nationwide. Additionally, 4,895 base stations at existing communications towers were upgraded from 2G to 3G/4G to support higher broadband speeds in rural areas.<ref>[http://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/Universal-Service-Provision-Annual-Report-2018.pdf 2018 Universal Service Provision Annual Report] / MCMC Universal Service Provision Annual Reports</ref>

==== Malaysian Submarine Cable System (MSCS) (Submarine Cable System to Sabah & Sarawak) ====
Introduced in 2014 through a public-private partnership between MCMC and Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), the MSCS project was completed in 2017. It serves as a redundancy to existing domestic submarine cable services that have been operating since 1995 and aimed to meet the growing demands for bandwidth between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.<ref>[http://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/Universal-Service-Provision-Annual-Report-2018.pdf 2018 Universal Service Provision Annual Report] / MCMC Universal Service Provision Annual Reports</ref>

==== Submarine Cable System to Islands ====
This project, which started in 2017 and was completed in 2018, involved upgrading existing communications infrastructure networks and submarine cables connecting the mainland with three islands: Perhentian, Tioman, and Pangkor.<ref>[http://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/Universal-Service-Provision-Annual-Report-2018.pdf 2018 Universal Service Provision Annual Report] / MCMC Universal Service Provision Annual Reports</ref>

=== Broadband service providers ===
{| class="wikitable"
| rowspan="2" |'''Service providers'''
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |'''Service'''
|-
|'''Fixed broadband'''
|'''Mobile broadband'''
|-
|[[Telekom Malaysia]] (TM)
| {{y}}
| {{y}}
|-
| [[Celcom|Celcom Axiata Berhad]] (Celcom)
| {{y}}
| {{y}}
|-
| [[Digi Telecommunications|Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd]] (Digi)
| {{y}}
| {{y}}
|-
| [[Maxis Communications|Maxis Berhad]] (Maxis)
| {{y}}
| {{y}}
|-
| [[U Mobile|U Mobile Sdn Bhd]] (U Mobile)
| {{y}}
| {{y}}
|-
|YTL Communications (Yes)
|{{n}}
|{{y}}
|}

== Mobile cellular ==
The major service providers for mobile cellular services in Malaysia<ref>[https://www.koneksiin.com/telco-terbaik-di-malaysia/ The best telco in Malaysia - Koneksiin.com]</ref> are [[Celcom|Celcom Axiata Berhad]], [[Digi Telecommunications|Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd]], [[Maxis Communications|Maxis Berhad]], [[YTL Communications]], and [[U Mobile|U Mobile Sdn Bhd]]. The number of mobile cellular subscriptions stood at 44.601 million as of Q4 2019, with a penetration rate of 135.4% per 100 inhabitants.<ref>[https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/General/pdf/4Q-2019-C-M-Infographic.pdf Mobile-cellular 4Q 2019] / Communications and Multimedia : Facts and Figures, 4Q 2019</ref>

Mobile cellular service is also provided by [[Mobile Virtual Network Operator]] (MVNO)s. As of Q4 2019, there were 10 MVNOs operating in Malaysia.

In March 2021, Digital Nasional Berhad was officially launched to develop 5G infrastructure and networks across the country. Nationwide, 5G coverage for Malaysia is targeted to reach 80% coverage of populated area (COPA) by the end of 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Digital Nasional Berhad on Target for 80% 5G Nationwide Coverage in 2024; end 2022 target exceeded, reaching ~50% |url=https://www.digital-nasional.com.my/digital-nasional-berhad-target-80-5g-nationwide-coverage-2024-end-2022-target-exceeded-reaching-50 |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Digital Nasional Berhad}}</ref>

As of Q3 2024, mobile (4G) coverage for Sarawak is 93.87%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sarawak's 4G coverage to reach 93.87 pct |url=https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/media/press-clippings/sarawak%E2%80%99s-4g-coverage-to-reach-93-87-pct-by-year%E2%80%99s}}</ref>

== Internet ==
The country has 28.304 million internet users (2018).<sup>[[#internet2|2]]</sup> Its country code (top level domain) is MY. In Q3 2024, Sarawak had 90.09% internet coverage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=BERNAMA |date=2024-11-28 |title=Sarawak Internet Coverage Reaches 90.09 Per Cent In Populated Areas - Fahmi |url=https://www.bernama.com/en/general/news.php?id=2368736 |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=BERNAMA |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[History of Communications in Malaysia]]
* [[Internet in Malaysia]]
* [[Malaysian telephone codes]]
* [[Malaysian mobile phone codes]]
* [[Media of Malaysia]]

== Notes ==
<sup id="internet1">1</sup> Network that can reach every other network on the Internet without purchasing IP transit or paying for peering

<sup id="internet2">2</sup> Internet user population is calculated from the Internet Users Survey 2018 (IUS 2018) based on 87.4% of the total population of Malaysia in 2018 (32.385 million). Population data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).

== References ==
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{{Telecommunications in Malaysia}}
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{{Telecommunications}}

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[[Category:Telecommunications in Malaysia|Telecommunications in Malaysia]]
[[Category:Communications in Malaysia]]
[[Category:Telecommunications by country|Malaysia]]
[[Category:Telecommunications in Asia by country|Malaysia]]