PETALING JAYA: Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) says its 5G network is ahead of schedule and will exceed 40% coverage of populated areas (Copa) nationwide by December, on track to achieve the committed 80% Copa by 2024 or earlier.
In a statement, the company said the 5G network will reach over 14 million people by the end of 2022 as five of six Malaysian mobile network operators make retail 5G services available to end-users.
The 40% Copa will be achieved with approximately 3,500 sites against an initially planned 4,018 sites, it added.
“This reduced site count is a result of supply chain issues earlier this year, and delays in securing the necessary local council approvals primarily in Selangor and Sarawak.
“These issues have largely been resolved and the network will be deployed progressively in 2023 as planned,” DNB noted.
In order to overcome the delays experienced and to achieve the 40% Copa, DNB had redirected its network deployment efforts to those states initially intended for 2023 and beyond.
The network currently includes almost all of Wilayah Persekutuan, Putrajaya, Selangor and significant parts of Penang, Johor and Negri Sembilan, as well as some parts of Melaka, Perak, Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak.
Head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, David Hägerbro, said: “The rollout of the 5G network by DNB is one of the fastest in the world, having commenced deployment only in October 2021.”
DNB COO Nasution Mohamed meanwhile said, “On the basis of demand for 5G services as well as support received for the necessary approvals from the various state and local council authorities to accelerate network deployment, we are confident of achieving 80% Copa within the next 18 months.”
To date, five of six MNOs in Malaysia, who collectively have well over 20 million subscribers – Celcom Axiata Bhd, Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd
, U Mobile Sdn Bhd and YTL Communications Sdn Bhd – have commenced making retail 5G services available to their end-users, following the signing of their respective 5G Access Agreements with DNB.
However, Maxis Bhd customers will not be able to access 5G services just yet, pending its shareholders’ approval to execute the 5G Access Agreement, which Maxis has indicated it plans to seek in January 2023.
