Maxis has been appointed by Melaka ICT Holdings as a strategic infrastructure partner to accelerate the deployment of fibre backhaul across 151 telecom towers in the Malaysian state of Melaka. The project involves an investment of approximately RM30 million and will see the rollout of around 200 km of optical fibre, replacing existing microwave backhaul connections with higher capacity fibre links.
The agreement, signed between Maxis and Melaka ICT Holdings, is designed to transition telecom towers currently relying on microwave backhaul to advanced optical fibre connectivity. The fibreisation programme is expected to increase the proportion of fibre-connected telecom towers from approximately 40 percent to 80 percent across the affected sites.
Fibre Backhaul Upgrade Covers 151 Towers
Under the partnership, Maxis will upgrade 151 towers owned by Melaka ICT Holdings in a phased implementation. The core objective is to replace wireless microwave backhaul with optical fibre, establishing a more robust transport layer between telecom towers and the wider network. This shift from microwave to fibre backhaul is intended to deliver greater capacity and more reliable connectivity across the state’s telecom infrastructure.
The approximately 200 km of fibre being deployed will form a digital backbone that connects towers previously served by microwave links. The RM30 million investment reflects the scale of physical infrastructure work involved in laying fibre across Melaka’s tower network.
Beyond serving mobile network traffic, Maxis and Melaka ICT Holdings also plan to use the fibre network to offer wholesale mobile backhaul services to other operators, a move intended to foster broader competition and shared use of the new telecom infrastructure.
Maxis CEO Goh Seow Eng said the fibreisation effort lays the foundation for a future-proof ecosystem. “This network offers the scalability needed to meet the exponential rise in data demand, providing the high-speed, low-latency backbone that mobile connectivity and AI traffic demands,” he stated.
Melaka ICT Holdings CEO Dr. Nazdiana binti Ab Wahab noted that the collaboration will accelerate migration from microwave-based connectivity to high-capacity fibre networks, enhancing network performance and supporting growing digital demands across the state.
Fibreisation Supports 4G and 5G Infrastructure
The fibre backhaul programme is being implemented to support both current 4G services and future 5G requirements. Moving from microwave backhaul to optical fibre gives telecom towers the capacity needed to handle increasing data traffic generated by next-generation mobile services. Fibre-connected towers are better positioned to support the low-latency and high-throughput demands that 4G and 5G networks require.
The project also builds on a memorandum of understanding signed by Melaka ICT Holdings and Maxis in October 2024 to enhance broadband connectivity across Melaka. The initiative aligns with the state’s Smart Melaka Blueprint 2035, which identifies the development of a digital highway as a key foundation for IoT, AI, smart cities, and the digital economy.
Melaka’s Chief Minister Ab Rauf bin Yusoh said the fibreisation programme supports the state’s broader vision for strengthening digital infrastructure and enabling future technology-driven services. The phased deployment of optical fibre across 151 telecom towers represents a significant upgrade to the backhaul layer of Melaka’s telecom infrastructure, positioning the state’s network for the connectivity demands ahead.