DNB signs RM2 bil fibre leasing deal with TM for its nationwide 5G deployment

Telekom Malaysia (TM) has announced that it has secured a fibre leasing service agreement with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) which will support their nationwide 5G network deployment. The term sheet agreement with a total contract value of RM2 billion over 10 years was signed by TM Group CEO Imri Mokhtar, TM Wholesale EVP Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, DNB CEO Augustus Ralph Marshall, and DNB COO Dushyanthan Vaithiyanathan.

With the agreement, DNB will leverage TM’s extensive fibre and network infrastructure and subscribe to TM’s 5G RAN-to-Edge Fronthaul and Backhaul solution for the provision of fibre connectivity, to enable DNB to provide 5G network services nationwide. TM will provide DNB with 5G fibre leasing services for connectivity between DNB’s 5G mobile sites and nodes, leveraging on TM’s domestic fibre cable network that spans over 640,000km across Malaysia.

According to the press statement, TM had participated with other fibre providers in Malaysia in the 5G Fibre Leasing Request for Quotation (RFQ) exercise conducted by DNB in June 2021. So far, TM is the only fibre provider that has been signed with DNB.

Commenting on the signing, Imri said “As DNB’s selected partner in implementing the Government’s 5G network rollout plan in Malaysia, the signing of this Fibre Agreement is testament to our advanced network technology and workforce capabilities in delivering fibre solutions throughout the country. Critical in executing this mission is to ensure our network is robust to support the future requirements of 5G and further fuel technological innovation in Malaysia.”

He added that based on TM’s current fibre implementation, they expect more than 70% of the work to involve and benefit bumiputera and local companies. He also said that TM is excited to utilise DNB’s 5G network to provide 5G services and solutions to their customers, however, there’s no mention of when they will begin 5G user trials for Unifi Mobile customers.

At the moment, only TM (Unifi Mobile) and YTL Communications (Yes) have confirmed their participation with DNB’s 5G user trial until 31st March 2022. If you want to experience 5G services today, Yes is the first and only telco to offer the service on selected prepaid and postpaid plans.

Related reading

• Yes 5G: 8 things you need to know before signing up for Malaysia’s first 5G service
• DNB’s 5G network goes live, TM and YTL first to offer 5G services in Malaysia
• TM: Unifi Mobile customers will soon experience 5G services under DNB’s pilot trial
• DNB aims to seal 5G agreement with telcos by end-March 2022 but users can “experience” 5G this month