edotco Malaysia enables smart street asset to drive connected Penang and 5G

edotco Malaysia Sdn Bhd has launched a Smart Bus Shelter equipped with telecommunication solutions in line with Malaysia's digital goals.

The proof of concept (POC) provides coverage at street level and is a testbed for a connected Penang in preparation for 5G implementation.

Developed in partnership with Penang State Government and Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP), the Smart Bus Shelter is located in Lengkok Tenggiri, Seberang Perai. The project supports Penang Vision 2030 that among others, outlines investment to strengthen mobility, connectivity and digital infrastructure, and integrate municipal services with smart technologies.

In addition to a telecommunications solution in the form of small cells with high capacity throughput, it has additional conveniences for commuters built into the bus shelter. This smart street asset is equipped with charging facility, and a CCTV camera as well as a panic button to enhance safety. It also acts as a WiFi hotspot. Energy is provided by rooftop solar panels which tap a readily available renewable resource and reduce dependency on the grid.

Penang Local Government, Housing, and Town & Country Planning Committee Chairman, Jagdeep Singh Deo said, "This smart bus shelter pilot project is carried out as part of the efforts to transform Penang into a smart city, which is the focus for 2019. The success of this project changes the way we can approach our street assets for effective spatial planning. It demonstrates that a multipurpose bus shelter integrated with smart technologies and convenient add-ons for public use is workable. The success of this proof of concept paves the way for Penang to be one of the leading states ready for 5G adoption."

5G requires densification of telecommunications infrastructure to realise its full potential and ensure smooth user experience. Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) recently reported that Malaysians increasingly access the internet via smartphones (93.1% in 2018) compared to four years ago (74.3% in 2014). It is projected that by 2022, the average data consumption per user will be 1GB a day. Street assets can address this need and meet the bandwidth requirement.

edotco Group Chief Regional Officer, Wan Zainal Adileen remarked, "We are committed to partnering stakeholders to address the growing connectivity and capacity needs in Malaysia. Pioneering the conversion of a street furniture into a telecommunications infrastructure challenges the approach to traditional passive mono-use street furniture. We are pleased to be the solutions architect in this POC and are confident this project will encourage the adoption of others for better digital connectivity. This is just the first initiative in what we hope will be an ongoing and productive partnership to deploying the right shareable telecommunications infrastructure that meets the state's connectivity needs."

edotco Malaysia is committed to enabling connectivity and increasing capacity for all Malaysians in support of greater digital connectivity. The Smart Bus Shelter is edotco Malaysia's latest installation of agile telecommunications solutions to support the demand for capacity and connectivity speed needed in densely populated areas.

Previously, edotco Malaysia deployed the world's first multi-technology, multi-operator small cells in KL Sentral. The company is also involved in various in-building solutions deployments within recent real estate developments in the country.

edotco Malaysia is an integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company that holds NFP license since 2012. The company owns and operates over 10,000 towers across the nation.