JOHOR BARU: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) will continue to boost high speed broadband (HSBB) connectivity and coverage in three main clusters in Johor to spearhead the state’s economic growth and development.

TM Johor vice-president Azhar Omar said the clusters were the multi-billion ringgit Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex in Kota Tinggi, Iskandar Malaysia and the Forest City project as well as Pagoh Educational Hub and Sedenak.

He said the company’s Johor Strategic Economic Corridor (JSEC) unit has been tasked to undertake the necessary steps to improve and boost HSBB connectivity at the three clusters.

“Good Internet connectivity is one of the main criteria investors and companies look at when planning to invest in a country,” Azhar told reporters yesterday.

He said this at the first leg of TM Biz Fusion 2017 roadshow themed “The Journey Towards Convergence Begins Here” targeting medium and large enterprises involved in the manufacturing, hospitality and transportation industries.

Also present at the event were TM executive vice-president Wan Ahmad Kamal Wan Halim and VADS Bhd chief executive officer Massimo Migliuolo.

“We are in the midst of replacing copper wires with fibre optic cables in Johor for data highway with a target to have 100% fibre optic in Iskandar Malaysia,” said Azhar.

According to him, it was more cost-effective to use fibre optic cables instead of copper wires as the lifespan was much longer and also to prevent cable thefts as there was no sale value for the cables.

There were already 100,000 UniFi subscribers in Johor and more than 100,000 customers were in the waiting list as Telekom would installed as fibre optic cables at more sites in the state, he added.

Meanwhile, Wan Ahmad Kamal said with Iskandar Malaysia would attract more domestic and foreign investors to the economic growth corridor.

“We are excited to be play our role in the growth corridor to offer business solutions products and services catering to their needs,” he said.