BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

DIFFICULT terrain features, scattered population and a limited number of residents in Mukim Rambai in Tutong are the reasons for the lack of cellular mobile coverage in the area.

The Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) told The Brunei Times that they are aware of the issue and are searching for possible solutions to overcome the problems.

In a recent interview, Penghulu of Mukim Rambai Khairul Nurul Arsyad Hj Abdul Malek said that mobile services are rarely available within the area.

This has resulted in difficulties for residents to contact emergency services during times of need.

“Mobile transmission here does not cover all areas, which is difficult because we are not able to contact the fire department during forest fires and house fires,” he said.

According to Khairul, AITI has been informed of the issue, in which they have visited and observed the rural area in 2014 to find possible solutions for the issue.

“Mobile transmission is important, especially for us and the over 300 residents in Mukim Rambai,” he said.

He explained that currently the village does not have any form of communication. Residents have to physically visit the nearest fire department to seek for assistance during emergencies.

According to AITI, there are three telecommunications towers already serving Mukim Rambai – two in Kg Rambai and one in Kg Bukit.

They, however, believe the situation can be further improved.

They said, via a statement issued yesterday, that the limiting factors make the area a technical and commercial challenge for service providers.

“The search for a solution will continue as we will work closely with the service providers and all relevant stakeholders,” AITI said.

They added that the addition of more mobile base sites and optimisation of network capacity will be included to address the identified gaps.

“AITI is also working on a mechanism that aims to offset the high capital expenditure cost of setting up towers in rural areas,” they said.

The Brunei Times