U Mobile partners Sacofa for 5G rollout in Sarawak
by James Wong · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (Sept 11): U Mobile has appointed Sarawakian telecommunications infrastructure provider SACOFA Sdn Bhd (Sacofa) as its strategic fibre backhaul partner to speed up the rollout of its next generation 5G network and expand its ULTRA5G experience by the first half of 2026.
Under the 10-year agreement, Sacofa will provide fibre leased line access to U Mobile’s 5G Radio Access Network sites, ensuring high-capacity backhaul connectivity to regional Points of Interconnect.
This infrastructure is key to delivering reliable and low-latency 5G services for consumers and businesses across Sarawak.
Minister of Utility and Telecommunications Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi said the partnership will make use of Sacofa’s robust infrastructure to support U Mobile’s 5G rollout.
“Sacofa’s extensive network with over 1,688 telecommunications towers and 11,000 km of fibre optic backbone offers the critical infrastructure needed to support operators and enterprises alike.
“It will enhance high-speed mobile coverage and service reliability across Sarawak’s commercial and urban centres, and strengthen 5G readiness to support industries, innovation hubs and enterprise solutions,” he said at the signing ceremony here today.
The agreement was signed at Sacofa’s corporate headquarters by its managing director Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib and U Mobile chief executive officer Wong Heang Tuck, and witnessed by Julaihi, who is also Sacofa chairman.
Julaihi said Sarawak’s internet coverage stood at 90.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, while 5G coverage reached 63.8 per cent.
He said while progress has been made, 5G rollout has not always matched the demands of the state’s digital economy.
“This collaboration aims to accelerate momentum, with the shared goal of achieving at least 80 per cent 5G coverage in the near term and ensuring our infrastructure ambitions are matched by on-the-ground execution,” he said.
Wong added that U Mobile aims to complete its 5G deployment in Sarawak by first half of 2026 ahead of its target deadline of nationwide 80 per cent Coverage of Populated Areas (CoPA) by the second half of 2026.
He said the rollout would be done through existing tower sites that U Mobile is leasing from SACOFA in city centres like Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri.
“One of the key success factors for us to achieve earlier than the timeline would be the partnership with Sacofa in terms of getting the lease line ready. In order to provide true 5G experience, you need fibre.
“After the 80 per cent target, our commitment to the federal government is 90 per cent CoPA by the second half of 2027,” he added.
He added that U Mobile has long supported Sarawak’s digital agenda through its 4G coverage expansion and involvement in initiatives such as Jendela and Smart 600 to connect underserved areas.
“This is an ambitious and aggressive goal, and achieving it requires trusted infrastructure partners with deep local insight and proven capability.
“Hence, we are very pleased to formalise this collaboration with Sacofa, Sarawak’s foremost telecommunications infrastructure provider,” he said.