The Information Communication and Culture Ministry has called on telecommunication companies to impose minimal charges to encourage people to subscribe to broadband facilities and help achieve the 50 per cent broadband penetration by year-end.
He said that as of July 7, the penetration rate was 37.7 per cent with 2.3 million household subscribers.
"The lowest charge of RM38 is currently provided by TM. We hope that telecommunication companies can provide rates which are affordable to the people," he told reporters after launching the national broadband awareness programme here today.
Rais said that out of 16 million Internet users in the country, 2.3 million households were broadband subscribers, 7.5 million 3G subscribers and one million dial-up subscribers which had the potentials to become broadband users.
"We are confident that the target is achievable but this can be achieved faster if the existing 3G and dial-up users convert their subscriptions to broadband," he said.
He also called for improvement in the provision of broadband facilities in rural areas.
"I was told recently that there is already a cost-effective technology where access points can be installed in public telephone booths with a coverage of 2km radius," he said.
On the broadband tour programme, Rais said it would cover 500 locations nationwide, with focus on states which had low broadband penetration such as Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.
He said that through the campaign, expedition members would give explanation on the importance of broadband on the people's daily lives, and the latest information on the service. -- Bernama
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