[ UPDATE 8/11/2022 14:20 ] Digi enables 5G for selected postpaid customers from 11 November.
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Today marks a new milestone for 5G in Malaysia as Telekom Malaysia, U Mobile, Celcom and Digi have executed their 5G access agreements with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB). While TM, U Mobile and Celcom have announced commercial 5G availability this week, Digi customers may need to wait for a while before they can enjoy 5G on their current plans.
According to Digi, they are continuing its 5G network testing with its technology partners and DNB, towards enabling its customers to soon enjoy 5G services. The yellow telco said more details on Digi’s 5G offerings will be shared in due course.
In a press statement, Digi says the concluded access agreement with DNB incorporated the terms of the Reference Access Officer (“RAO”) published by DNB on 31st March 2022, with improvements to a few key terms. In the current RAO version, 5G wholesale access will cost telcos RM30,000 per Gbps per month and it is tied to a 10-year period.
Digi says an updated RAO is expected to be published upon approval by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). It added that they will continue to work together with DNB, MCMC and other key stakeholders to enable the provision of affordable and reliable 5G services for Malaysian consumers and enterprises in a sustainable manner. Earlier this month, Digi signed a conditional share subscription agreement to take up a 12.5% equity stake in DNB.
While it is committed to a successful deployment of 5G in Malaysia, Digi says it will continue to invest in and operate its own 4G+ network and data centres. With Malaysia’s 5G single wholesale network model, Digi expects a gradual shift from a traditional network ownership model towards a network leasing model for 5G.
YTL Communications’ Yes 5G remains the first telco to offer commercial 5G services since December 2021. Today, TM has started offering free unlimited 5G data on its Unifi Mobile Ultimate Postpaid and Unifi Mobile Bebas prepaid plans. Meanwhile, Celcom has announced that it will start offering free 5G access starting tomorrow, 1st November, while U Mobile will turn on 5G for its customers on 3rd November. Maxis currently is the only major telco in Malaysia that has yet to execute the 5G access agreement with DNB.
Related reading
- Celcom and Digi sign 10-year 5G access agreement with DNB, commercial 5G services available soon
- Celcom offers free 5G access for these postpaid and prepaid plans starting 1st November
- Uni5G: TM offers unlimited 5G data from RM35/month on Unifi Mobile
- U Mobile users can enjoy 5G services from 3rd November, here are the supported plans
