KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia said on Friday telecommunications firms CelcomDigi, Maxis, Telekom Malaysia, U Mobile and YTL Communications will participate in the 5G agency Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), following an agreement between the firms and the government on fair participation and access to 5G.
The announcement comes as mobile operators and the government look to finalize lengthy negotiations over Malaysia’s 5G rollout plans.
Malaysia had 2021 announced that the state-owned DNB will own the full 5G spectrum, with carriers using the base to provide mobile services. But the plan was met with industry concerns about pricing, transparency and privacy practices.
The mobile operators agreed in October last year to take 70% of DNB’s stake to solve the problem.
However, the deal ended after the administration of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim – who took power after elections in November last year – announced a review of the government’s plans for 5G.
In May, the government said it would allow a second 5G operator next year when DNB’s rollout reaches 80% of populated areas.
On Friday, the Ministry of Communications said in a statement that telecoms firms will take appropriate administrative steps to complete the process of sharing shares in DNB.
It did not provide details of the equity split or the value of the deal.
Last week, Maxis Berhad agreed to sign an agreement to access DNB’s network, the last major carrier to do so. Some carriers signed an agreement last year, paving the way for 5G services to be rolled out to consumers.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)
Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.
| Daily News Post