SDEC plans 5G upgrade for MySRBN rural connectivity

KUCHING (Feb 3): Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) is preparing to upgrade the Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (MySRBN) from 4G to 5G, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance digital connectivity in rural areas.

SDEC chief executive officer Dato Sudarnoto Osman said the 5G rollout is still at the planning stages, with negotiations on spectrum allocation currently underway.

“Without spectrum, we cannot operate 5G. This is now being handled by SDEC,” he told reporters after the Startup Innovation Showcase 2026 (SIS 2026) held at Tegas Digital Village here on Monday.

Sudarnoto said MySRBN has so far connected around 44,000 households across Sarawak.

He explained that the initiative currently offers two packages―a basic package using Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technology, and the MySRBN XL package, a fibre-based broadband service introduced in August last year in collaboration with Borneo Restu.

“As of now, the MySRBN XL has connected about 6,000 households,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sudarnoto has confirmed that the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Telecommunication (Smart) project has been fully completed, with 118 telecommunication towers built constructed nationwide.