Internet in Malaysia

From its beginnings in 1995, the Internet in Malaysia has become the main platform for free discussion in Malaysia's otherwise tightly controlled media environment.[1] As of Q1 2017, Malaysia has broadband penetration rates of 103.6% (per 100 inhabitants) and 81.8% (per 100 households).[2]

History

The year 1995 is considered the beginning of the Internet age in Malaysia. The growth in the number of Internet hosts in Malaysia began around 1996. The country's first search engine and web portal company, Cari Internet, was also founded that year.[3] According to the first Malaysian Internet survey conducted from October to November 1995 by MIMOS and Beta Interactive Services, one out of every thousand Malaysians had access to the Internet (20,000 Internet users out of a population of 20 million).[4] In 1998, this number grew to 2.6% of the population. The total number of computer units sold, which was 467,000 in 1998 and 701,000 in 2000 indicated an increasing growth.[5][6]

In 2005 the National Public Policy Workshop (NPPW) proposed a strategy to increase the uptake of Information and communications technology (ICT) and the Internet. Among the outcomes of the NPPW was the High Speed Broadband initiative launched in 2010. As of July 2012 Internet users in Malaysia reached 25.3 million. Out of that number, there are 5 million broadband users, 2.5 million wireless broadband users and 10 million 3G subscribers.[7]

Speed

As of November 2020, Malaysia's average internet speed for fixed broadband is 91.40 megabits per second (Mbit/s) ranked on 43rd ranking. Average speed for mobile connection speed also gone up to 24.26 megabits per second (Mbit/s) ranked on 88th ranking.[8]

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission sets a low threshold for broadband.[9] It defines broadband as:

  • Any service beyond the scope of existing PSTN/ISDN and 2G cellular networks
  • With data rates that exceed the normal voice-related speed (56 kilobits per second (kbit/s) for PSTN and 64 kbit/s for ISDN)

This definition is far below the primary rate interface lower limit defined by the International Telecommunications Union in ITU-R F.1399.[10]

Access technologies
See also: Internet access

Cellular data

Cellular data and mobile broadband connections are provided by: (Dec 2020)

Internet service provider Cellular service technology Frequency (MHz) Internet download speed
Celcom EDGE, HSPA, HSPA+, 4G LTE, 4G LTE-A 2G: 900, 1800

3G: 900, 2100

4G: 900(B8), 1800(B3), 2100(B1), 2600(B7)

 Up to 175 Mbit/s, average to 20Mbit/s.
Digi EDGE, HSPA, HSPA+, 4G LTE, 4G LTE-A 2G: 900, 1800

3G: 900, 2100

4G: 900(B8), 1800(B3), 2100(B1), 2600(B7)

 Up to 162 Mbit/s, average to 12Mbit/s.
Maxis EDGE, HSPA, HSPA+, 4G LTE, 4G LTE-A 2G: 900, 1800

3G: 900, 2100

4G: 900(B8), 1800(B3), 2100(B1), 2600(B7)

 Up to 175 Mbit/s, average to 20Mbit/s.
U Mobile EDGE, HSPA, HSPA+, 4G LTE, 4G LTE-A 2G: 900, 1800

3G: 900, 2100

4G: 900(B8), 1800(B3), 2100(B1), 2600(B7)

 Up to 162 Mbit/s, average to 10Mbit/s.
Unifi Mobile HSPA, HSPA+, 4G LTE 3G: 900/2100

4G: 850(B5), 2300(B40), 2600(B38)

 Up to 20 Mbit/s, average to 7Mbit/s.

3G services are provided by Celcom through roaming agreements

Yes 4G 4G LTE, 4G LTE-A 4G: 800(B20), 2300(B40), 2600(B38) Up to 100 Mbit/s, average to 30Mbit/s.

Digital subscriber line (DSL)

As of June 2012 there were 1,705,000 DSL connections. TM Net, a subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia (TM), is Malaysia's largest Internet service provider. While there are many ISPs in Malaysia, TM's ownership of the nation's last mile connections restricts competition to densely populated areas in major cities. Since there is no local loop unbundling, TM Net enjoys a virtual monopoly of the broadband market.

DSL connections are provided by:

Internet service provider DSL service technology Internet download speed Internet upload speed
Maxis VDSL2
(for high-rise buildings only)		 Maximum 50 Mbit/s Maximum 50 Mbit/s
Unifi
Unifi Lite (Streamyx) ADSL, ADSL2/ADSL2+ Maximum 8 Mbit/s Maximum 1 Mbit/s

Fiber optics

Telekom Malaysia Bhd has spent about RM1.9 billion, with the inclusion government funds amounting to RM990 million in the installation of high-speed broadband services throughout Malaysia.[11] The four initial areas that will be covered by high speed broadband services, that is being launched in March 2010 are Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar.[12]

The benefits announced with the implementation of high speed broadband include smoother e-commerce activities, Internet-based health services, voice over IP (VoIP) communications, web surfing that contains detailed pictures and graphics, as well as faster data downloads. It has been promised that video-streaming will be smoother and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) could take off in Malaysia.

Fiber to the x connections are provided by:

Internet service provider Fiber service coverage Internet download speed Internet upload speed
Celcom East and West Malaysia From 30 Mbit/s to 500 Mbit/s From 30 Mbit/s to 100 Mbit/s
City Broadband West Malaysia From 50 Mbit/s to 1Gbit/s From 50 Mbit/s to 1Gbit/s
Digi East and West Malaysia From 50 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s From 20 Mbit/s to 200 Mbit/s
Maxis East and West Malaysia From 30 Mbit/s to 800 Mbit/s From 30 Mbit/s to 200 Mbit/s
TIME East and West Malaysia From 100 Mbit/s to 1Gbit/s From 100 Mbit/s to 500 Mbit/s
Unifi East and West Malaysia From 30 Mbit/s to 800 Mbit/s From 10 Mbit/s to 200 Mbit/s
ViewQwest West Malaysia From 100 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s From 100 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s

Hotspot

Hotspot connections are provided by:

Internet service provider Hotspot quantity count Internet service registration
Digi Over 7,000 Required
Unifi Over 8,000 Not required
Y5ZONE Over 5,500 Required

Internet censorship in Malaysia
See also: Censorship in Malaysia § Internet, and Malaysia Internet Blackout Day (2012)

On 30 May 2011, the Malaysia government started to ban some websites, mostly file sharing websites;[13][14] this is despite a promise not to censor the Internet, made by the sixth prime minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak.[15]

JENDELA Program

Due to COVID-19, Malaysia’s Internet traffic have increased. According to JENDELA’s report, during the Movement Control Order(MCO),[16] Malaysia’s Internet traffic has increased by 30%-70%, while Internet speed has dropped by 30%-40%.[17]

Therefore , Government of Malaysia launched JENDELA Program (Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA)).

Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) will be the national digital communication enhancement platform under the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021–2025). JENDELA will be implemented in phases:

Phase 1 (2020 – 2022):

Phase 1, which starts now until 2022, will involve optimising existing resources and infrastructure for both mobile and fixed connectivity by:

  • Expanding 4G mobile broadband coverage from 91.8% to 96.9% in populated areas;
  • Increasing mobile broadband speeds from 25Mbps to 35Mbps; and
  • Enabling as many as 7.5 million premises to access gigabit speeds with fixed broadband services.

This will also involve the gradual switch-off/sunset of 3G networks until the end of 2021, allowing further upgrades to 4G networks as well as strengthening the foundation for 5G networks.

Phase 2 (Beyond 2022):

  • Phase 2 of JENDELA involves addressing the remainder of the digital divide not covered under Phase 1, primarily utilising FWA and other fit-for-purpose technologies, as well as priming the nation’s transition to 5G; which will take place once action plans to build a robust 4G and fibre platform under Phase 1 are achieved.[18]

This also means that Malaysia’s 3G network will gradually be closed. If only 2G/3G network coverage is available in some areas, only 2G networks will be available after the 3G network is closed, which will affect consumers’ experience.

Therefore, the current priority of the Malaysian government is to increase 4G network coverage, from 91.8% of Malaysia’s 4G coverage to 96.9%.

In addition, they plan to increase the mobile network speed of mobile phones from 25 Mbps to 35 Mbps.

They will also ensure that 83% premises nationwide will have access to gigabit speed of fixed broadband

In order to ensure that users using 4G to make calls will not fall back to 2G without 3G network coverage, Malaysian telecom operators have launched VoLTE, and some also provide VoWiFi services. VoLTE allows you to maintain 4G / 4G+ networks when you call, and Bring clearer sound quality and shorter response time.[19][20]

International Routing

For a long time, the international routing of Malaysian telecommunications companies have been criticized. For example, if Telekom Malaysia is connected to a server located in mainland China, it needs to go to Europe and then connect to PoP(s) for mainland China telecommunications companies such as China Telecom at Europe. Then only the data packet will transfered to the China backbone network. This connection method made the latency and connection quality to connect to China Server from TM users become worst.[21]

In addition, Telekom Malaysia's routing to some Cloudflare's IP isn't very good. Although it is Anycast IP, most TM users will be bypassed to Osaka, Japan or Hong Kong and connected to Cloudflare PoP in Osaka or Hong Kong, which brings a bad experience to users.[22]

See also

References
  1. "Malaysia profile: Media", BBC News, 10 September 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  2. "Communications and Multimedia : Facts and Figures, 1Q 2017", Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, 2 August 2017, retrieved 12 September 2017
  3. Sreejit Pillai (13 November 2001). "M'sia oldest search engine upbeat in trying times". ZDNet. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
  4. Beta Interactive Services, 1996
  5. Lee, 2000c
  6. "Drivers and Impediments to E-commerce in Malaysia", John Paynter and Jackie Lim, Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science, Vol.6, no.2, December 2001: 1-19. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  7. Salman Ali, Ah Choy Er, Amizah Wan Mahmud Wan, Abdul Latif Roslina (2013). "Tracing the Diffusion of Internet in Malaysia: Then and Now". Asian Social Science. 9 (6). doi:10.5539/ass.v9n6p9.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. "Malaysia's Mobile and Broadband Internet Speeds". Speedtest Global Index - Malaysia. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  9. http://www.mcmc.gov.my/what_we_do/spectrum/SRSP/BWA-%20802.16-WiMAX-a.pdf Archived February 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ABFL Groupe Intellex Archived 2009-02-20 at the Wayback Machine, World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07) agenda item 1.4 responses, UK Office of Communications (Ofcom), 29 March 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  11. "TM To Launch HSBB Retail Service March 24". Bernama. 17 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2010. Alt URL
  12. "TM Invests RM1.9 Billion, To Date, To Develop HSBB". Bernama. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  13. "MCMC wants block of 10 websites that allow illegal movie downloads", Wong Pek Mei, Star Online, 10 June 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  14. "Malaysian Govt Orders ISPs to Block Pirate Bay, Megaupload" Archived 2012-05-23 at the Wayback Machine, Jared Moya, ZeroPaid, 10 June 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  15. "No censorship of the Internet", Lester Kong and Zulkifli Abd Rahman, The Star, 8 August 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  16. "2020 Malaysia movement control order", Wikipedia, 2021-01-02, retrieved 2021-01-02
  17. "JENDELA Program". myjendela.my. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  18. "JENDELA FAQ - What is the Lab outcome that has transpired into JENDELA?".
  19. 苹果🍎健康群 (2020-12-22). "VoLTE 和 VoWiFi 的差别". 苹果🍎健康群 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  20. "Maxis 正式推出VoLTE服务 – The Neptune Media" (in Chinese). Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  21. "Imgur - Photos of Best Trace from TM Network to China Telecom Server". 2020-01-02.
  22. "Imgur - Best Trace to Cloudflare IP from TM network". 2020-01-02.
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