LLM-MCMC Task Force Formed, Will Fix Highway Telco Coverage Gaps

A special LLM-MCMC Task Force will be formed to tackle poor telecommunications and internet coverage along Malaysian highways.

This was among several key decisions made during a recent high-level meeting involving Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM).

The meeting was convened in response to ongoing complaints about dropped calls and patchy mobile internet, particularly on long-distance highway journeys. According to Nanta, about 50 KM of highway routes across the country currently suffer from no telecommunications coverage at all.

These blackspots include certain sections of the PLUS Expressway, the West Coast Expressway (WCE), and the East Coast Highway 2 (LPT2).

In addition to the formation of the task force, the government has agreed to coordinate a comprehensive action plan to resolve these connectivity issues. Part of this includes identifying critical drop-call zones and evaluating the need for new telecommunications infrastructure.

Highway concessionaires will also play an active role in implementing both short and long-term solutions, while regional LLM and state MCMC officers have already begun on-site inspections and assessments of available power supply facilities to support new installations.

Nanta also urged for MCMC’s direct involvement in managing frequency-related disruptions and supporting the technical rollout of the upcoming Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) toll collection system, which relies heavily on stable connectivity.

He stressed that reliable internet and mobile access should not be seen as a luxury, but a basic necessity, even when travelling on highways. “Our commitment is clear, not only to build roads, but to ensure that the people are always connected smoothly and safely,” he said in a post on social media.

Source: Bernama