Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil visits an exhibition at the Maxis 5G-Advanced Trial Showcase here today. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Mobile network operators (MNOs) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is expected to hold a meeting to discuss the mandatory standards for the quality of experience, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said this to ensure that going forward MNOs are more attuned, more sensitive to the needs, requirements and demands of users in providing fast Internet but also better systems.
"I would like to subsequently have an engagement with MCMC when I speak with my counterparts in a lot of Asean countries many are beginning to move away from the idea of mandatory standards for quality of service (MSQOS) but instead looking at mandatory standards for the quality of experience (MSQOE) and we know in this day a lot of people have a lot of thoughts.
"We pay a lot but when we enter the building, there is no 5G. So a lot of these challenges we must work together to overcome,” he said in his speech at the Maxis 5G-Advanced Trial Showcase here today.
Fahmi said most of the MNOs are still very profitable and at the same time Internet speeds are getting much faster and Internet packages are also being appropriately priced. Hence, he felt a lot of disgruntlement or grouses or complaints from the public is where they can work on next.
"So I would like to be able to invite all of the MNOs. Perhaps we can have this discussion at the pavilion at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) to find a way forward. I hope to have that discussion very soon,” he added.
Meanwhile, Fahmi said that for instance, he had spoken with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to look at how MNOs can adopt not only 5G but also 5G advanced, particularly to realise the idea of smart cities.
"A lot of this new technology can be quickly and quite swiftly implemented. So if Maxis and Huawei are so keen perhaps what I would recommend and suggest is that we sit down with the mayor of Kuala Lumpur and run a proof of concept with Kuala Lumpur to see how we can use some of the passive Internet of Things (IoT) for purposes of smart cities,” he added.
He explained that because there are three types of connectivity, namely outdoor, in-building and fixed line at this point, the challenges are different.
"One of the things that I may convey later to the local authority is that we may need to be proactive with MCMC, especially in urban planning so that new buildings take into account the need for in-building coverage," he said.
Fahmi said that on average 'in-building coverage appears to be an afterthought' because after a new building is completed it is thought of and because Internet is a basic utility, there is a need to have a discussion.
"So, hopefully, after this I will ask MCMC to contact the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) so that they can examine what is the best way to ensure that urban planning can include this issue of in-building coverage as part of its standard operating procedure (SOP). We will discuss this later," he said.
Today, Maxis and Huawei have successfully staged the first 5G-Advanced technology trial in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
The '5G-Advanced Trial Showcase' included a live speed test to demonstrate 5G-Advanced's capabilities to achieve ultra-fast peak speeds of up to 8 gigabit per second (Gbps). 5G-Advanced, also known as 5.5G, promises up to 10 times improvement in speed, connected devices and latency compared to 5G.
Following the event, the 5.5G trial will be showcased on the global stage as part of the Malaysia Pavilion supported by the MCMC at this year’s MWC, which will be held on Feb 26-29 in Barcelona, Spain.
Maxis is one of the leading Malaysian companies that will be representing the nation at MWC 2024, the world's largest and most influential connectivity event. – Bernama
