Malaysia’s billion-dollar 5G roll-out stumbles as deal breaks down between powerful telcos, state-owned operator
The government could be forced to reconsider allowing a second 5G operator, as a settlement between state-owned Digital Nasional Bhd and the politically powerful private telcos hits a stalemate, say industry sources.
US flag and TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken, Jun 2, 2023. (Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)
KUALA LUMPUR: The mess surrounding Malaysia’s ambitious roll-out of its superfast fifth-generation cellular network, or 5G, has got messier.
A complex government-sponsored settlement agreement reached in early December between state-owned 5G operator, Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), and the country’s five private mobile telecommunications companies has broken down.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government brought the warring factions together in a compromise that would potentially see the private telcos taking a stake in DNB, or forming a separate joint venture to become Malaysia’s second 5G operator to provide competition in the country’s booming mobile telecommunications sector.
