KUALA LUMPUR – Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil provided insight into the government’s progress in the “final weeks” preceding the announcement of the second 5G network rollout.
He further disclosed that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) would determine the telecommunications company tasked with delivering the second 5G network.
“We might be in the final weeks before making the announcement (regarding the second 5G network).
“But the process to establish the second network will take time, it won’t be immediate. There will be a tender process – apart from ministry directives – and several other matters to be decided. So it will take time.
“The decision on which telecommunications company (telco) will be providing the second network will be made by MCMC, the sole regulatory body managing telco,” he said.
He made these remarks as a guest speaker for the PodaBoom podcast segment by Scoop recently.
The podcast was hosted by the Big Boom Media group editor-in-chief Terence Fernandez, group chief executive Datuk Zainul Arifin, and group executive director Datuk Ahirudin Attan.
Fahmi said Malaysia became the only country in the world to successfully implement a 5G network through a single wholesale network.
“However, the prime minister has decided that we will transition from a single wholesale to a dual network (second network) to avoid monopolies, be more sustainable, and provide opportunities – (so) this aspect is crucial,” he said.
Earlier this month, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said that the newly appointed Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) board would hold a meeting to review the feasibility study report on the 5G equity sale agreement (SSA) before making any proposals regarding the direction of establishing the second 5G network.
He said the government’s stance is clear that the second 5G network will be introduced after certain prerequisites of the SSA between mobile network operators and the DNB have been met.
“The latest prerequisite that has been fulfilled is the appointment of directors made last week, and of course, the next step is for them to hold that meeting,” he said.
Proposals to establish the second 5G network were submitted by the four major telcos – namely Celcom, Digi, Maxis, and U Mobile – at the end of 2021.
However, the proposal was rejected in March 2022, and the government offered a 70% stake in DNB to the telcos.
Nevertheless, Celcom, Digi, Telekom Malaysia, and U Mobile took until October 2023 to agree to use 5G services provided by DNB to consumers. – May 20, 2024