First announced back in August 2020, the Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) provides a highly structured pathway for the telco industry in Malaysia to improve the quality of Internet connectivity in Malaysia. Aside from network improvements, another objective listed under Phase 1 of the plan is the establishment of the National Digital Infrastructure Map (NDIM).
Ahead of the JENDELA’s 3rd Quarterly Report media presentation which will take place later today, the Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah has revealed through a statement that this particular objective has since been met through the JENDELA Map although the minister didn’t point out where exactly users can access it.
As it turns out, the map is now readily accessible via a new website called JENDELA Portal which we have just noticed through our visit to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) website this morning. In general, JENDELA Map has three main functionalities which include coverage map, users feedback, and feedback status.
To check telco coverage in any given area, all you need to do is pinpoint the location and then choose the network type and telco. At the moment, the JENDELA Map includes 4G, 3G and 2G as well as the national digital TV broadcast, myFreeview.
For fixed and wireless broadband service, you have to use the feedback submission feature instead which would list all the available services at the said location, before you can begin the submission process. Through this feature, you can report network issues such as call drops, downtime, and coverage problem.
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You can also request new providers for fixed and wireless broadband services through this feature. However, we do notice certain areas may not offer such options, like the example we used here which is a village located in Negeri Sembilan that has no fixed broadband service.
As for the feedback status section of the JENDELA Portal, it seems that this section acts more as a reference point rather than providing real-time updates. According to a note inside, all feedback submitted through the site will be forwarded to respective telcos and ISPs. Hence, users have to contact the operators directly if they need to find out whether their issues have really been fixed or otherwise.
The JENDELA Portal also offers several other features such as the ability to search for Pusat Internet Komuniti, a chatbot called AIDA, news updates from MCMC, and a point of interest section which lists accommodations, eateries, and tourist attractions. The site has also highlighted JENDELA Mobile App although it seems that the app is not yet available for download at the moment.
Essentially, the newly deployed JENDELA Map allows users to easily find information about telco coverage without having to spend hours digging through telco websites individually. The feedback section of the map is fairly useful as well for those who want to know about the availability of fixed and wireless broadband services in their area.
While it is great to see that users can use the site to request telcos to fix network issues or deploy new services in their areas, it is still early to know how effective this feature would be. For now, do give the JENDELA Map a go through JENDELA Portal right here.
