pic by AFIF ABD HALIM

The government remains steadfast in its commitment to reduce broadband prices by at least 25% by the end of this year, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo (picture).

It is in line with the government’s aim to double the speed of broadband in the country for half the price.

Besides price reduction, efforts are also undertaken to increase the broadband speed and coverage area, Gobind told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

He was responding to a query from MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (Pakatan Harapan-Ledang) who questioned the government’s readiness to allow more players into the high-speed broadband sector.

Gobind said apart from implementing the relevant laws to set the ceiling price, the ministry would have meetings with state governments, telcommunications companies (telcos) and

operators on the “last mile access”. “We are serious about this. I am going to bring in everyone to discuss this.

“If we get the assistance and cooperation of the state governments, the use of laws, telcos and operators for the ‘last mile access’, I am sure we can see this dream realised by the end of this year,” he added.

Gobind also reiterated that the government implemented the Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing on June 8 whereby all telcos were given until the end of this year to reduce their respective broadband prices by 25% in stages.

He also said the ministry is in the process of reducing the bureaucratic process at the state government level to facilitate the installation of the underground fibre optic networks under the National Broadband Initiative.

“I was informed that we have to apply to the states to lay the fibre optic cables and that there have been many bureaucratic problems and so on.

“Besides being time consuming, it also involves a high cost. If we can overcome these problems, I feel we can speed up the fiberisation policy and also reduce the cost, which ultimately lowers the cost for the consumer,” he said.