U Mobile has appointed CIMB as their Loan Coordinator and Mandated Lead Arranger to facilitate and arrange financing for up to RM4 billion, to support the nationwide deployment of Malaysia’s second 5G network. The appointment was formalised in a signing ceremony held at U Mobile’s corporate office at Berjaya Times Square on 30 May 2025.
The financing will fund U Mobile’s capital expenditure (CAPEX) programme and accelerate the rollout of its enterprise-grade 5G infrastructure, with a goal of achieving 80% coverage of populated areas (COPA) by July 2026. The orange telco aims to deploy a 5G Standalone (5G SA) network from Day 1 with 5G-Advanced capability and network slicing.
U Mobile CEO Wong Heang Tuck said, “Partnering with a strong financial institution like CIMB demonstrates our ability in executing our capex programme efficiently. Their confidence in our financial discipline and growth trajectory reinforces our ability to deliver an enterprise-grade 5G network that is fast, scalable, and impactful for both businesses and consumers.”
As part of the deal, CIMB will participate in at least RM1.5 billion of the financing, with the remainder to be syndicated among other financial institutions.
CIMB Group’s CEO of Group Wholesale Banking Chu Kok Wei said, “As a key financial institution in Malaysia and the region, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue leveraging our financial expertise, entrenched experience and strong business networks to spur U Mobile’s growth in its national ambitions and Malaysia’s broader digital transformation.”
The agreement was signed by Wong Heang Tuck and Chu Kok Wei, and witnessed by Sandy Tsang, Chief Financial Officer of U Mobile, and Denise Wong, Head of Corporate and Public Sector Coverage at CIMB.
This latest milestone adds momentum to U Mobile’s 5G deployment, following its recent deal to tap on TM’s nationwide fibre network to accelerate its 5G rollout. The orange telco aims to achieve 80% population coverage within the first 12 months of rollout and to expand to 90% in the following 12 months.
