Report: 30 Percent Of Populated Areas To Get 5G By Mid-September

The journey to getting 5G in Malaysia has been a long one so far, especially for anyone who is not a customer of Yes. All six telcos are finally on board with taking up DNB shares, according to reports from earlier this week, but details will still have to be ironed out by 31 August. A new report states that if it actually happens, millions will get access to 5G as soon as mid-September.

The Vibes cites unnamed sources who claim that DNB’s infrastructure has reached 30% of the country’s populated areas. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) defines this as having at least 20 people per sq km.

Several telcos are already conducting speed tests in “certain major cities”. This is also expected to see rapid deployment within the next few months in some of the country’s “most populated cities and connecting townships”. Though the source also notes that all this could change as the 31 August deadline approaches.

Earlier in the week, the Malay Mail quoted Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz as saying that the government is unlikely to extend the 31 August deadline. Though at the same time, the report also quotes him as saying that he “anticipates the possibility that some of the telcos may still try to delay talks”. On that note, of the six, Maxis and U Mobile were noted to be the last to be on board with the 5G deal.

The minister also said that there are foreign telecommunication companies that are “queuing up” for access to the Malaysian 5G market. He adds that it would be difficult to prevent foreign telco companies to enter the market if the local ones don’t sort things out before the deadline. Though he maintains that the local telcos should still be given “an opportunity to be the main players as they have invested so much”.

(Source: The Vibes)