Saifuddin: Govt is launching an app to help users find the best telco service

The Malaysian government will be launching a mobile app to help users choose telcos that provide the best services. During a virtual Go-to-the-Ground event with Cyber Security Malaysia, Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said the internet mapping application will facilitate users in getting internet services of the best quality from various telcos available in the country.

Without naming the app, he shared that the development of the app was the result of the periodical meetings held between the Ministry and the telcos to discuss the JENDELA plan. JENDELA is an initiative to increase nationwide 4G mobile coverage and fiberisation to bridge the digital divide.

Is this the JENDELA Map?

From the looks of it, this could be the app version of the JENDELA Map that was recently introduced by the MCMC. The JENDELA Map is currently accessible via a web browser and it outlines the coverage areas for all mobile telcos as well as fixed broadband providers.

Through the portal, users can provide feedback on telco services at their location. There’s also the option to request a service that isn’t available at the moment.

However, in its current state, the map only shows the estimated coverage area without any performance indicators. When we checked, the coverage area isn’t that accurate and there are spots in central Kuala Lumpur where the map indicates that 4G coverage for Maxis, Unifi Mobile and Yes are not available.

Besides coverage, consumers would also need to know how well each telco performs in its respective area. Just because there’s 4G, it doesn’t mean that a customer can get optimal performance due to various factors including network congestion. The app is only as good as the data it provides.

There’s already an app for that

At the moment, the best way to find out a telco’s performance is through Opensignal. The app provides not just coverage info but also performance measurements for mobile networks. Based on your selected location, you will be able to find out the average speeds for download and upload, signal strength and latency for each telco.

The data is crowdsourced from Opensignal users periodically and it isn’t measured only when users run a speed test. This method provides a more realistic picture of the actual mobile experience. From time to time, Opensignal also releases a Mobile Network experience report which highlights the best telcos for coverage, video, gaming and downloads in Malaysia. If you haven’t tried it yet, you can download Opensignal from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

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