KUALA LUMPUR (March 30): Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) has installed 233 fibre optic network hub point of presence (POP) circuits across Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak as well as Sabah and Sarawak under the first phase of the POP project.

In a statement on Thursday (March 30), the telecommunication service provider said the project aims to improve internet access and connectivity for the community, as well as to narrow the digital gap and promote digital inclusion across Malaysia.

The first phase covered 677 sites, it said, adding that the number of users in TM's POP area has exceeded 9,000.

The remaining POPs will be installed under the second phase over a three-year period between 2022 and 2025. TM has been awarded with 174 sites for the second phase in the central region.

Under the 12th Malaysia Plan, a total of 4,370 POPs will be installed, with 4,323 of these to be installed near schools in rural areas and 47 POPs near industrial areas.

The group said POP will create a more balanced and inclusive regional development, boosting the growth of new technologies like 5G and future generations of communication technologies.

“As the nation's telecommunications leader and enabler of Digital Malaysia, TM is committed to support the nation's development agenda through the benefits brought by hyperconnectivity and digital solutions, which will accelerate digital adoption and new economic growth,” said TM One executive vice-president Shazurawati Abdul Karim.

“The presence of POP can attract technology companies, start-ups and other businesses that require a high-speed internet connection to operate. This can create more job opportunities, increase innovation, and stimulate economic growth in local communities,” she added.

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