Shortly after U Mobile’s announcement, CelcomDigi also issued a press release announcing it is ready to complete its Share Subscription Agreement (SSAs) with Digital Nasional Berhad. It also expressed its eagerness to build Malaysia’s second 5G network.
According to CelcomDigi, all conditions precedent in the conditional SSA it entered with the Ministry of Finance and Digital Nasional Berhad on 1st December 2023 have been met. This confirms that CelcomDigi will be a shareholder in DNB.
To recap, 5 telcos including CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, TM and YTL, have signed the SSA to collectively acquire a 70% stake in DNB. Each telco will hold a 14% stake and each will inject RM233 million into the 5G network. Meanwhile, the Malaysian government via MoF Inc will retain a 30% stake and a golden share.
As announced by the Ministry of Communications, the selection process to build and operate Malaysia’s second 5G network will commence upon the completion of the SSAs. In achieving this milestone, CelcomDigi says it is prepared to play a leading role in shaping Malaysia’s 5G landscape and continue its firm commitment to deliver 5G services to the nation, in full support of the Government’s vision for the 5G Dual Network transition.
CelcomDigi CEO Datuk IDham Nawawi said “We are committed to making 5G a success in Malaysia. We have been driving 5G adoption among consumers with our best-value plans. We have also been working with multiple enterprises on innovative 5G solutions, including most recently powering up the first-in-the-region 5G network on an offshore oil and gas platform. We have a proven track record and deep experience in rolling out networks in Malaysia. With our modernised, state-of-the-art 5G-ready and the country’s largest 4G and 4G+ network, we believe we are in the best position to lead the development of the second 5G network for Malaysia, and to accelerate digital economic growth for the nation.”
He added, “We are committed to making 5G a success in Malaysia. We have been driving 5G adoption among consumers with our best-value plans. We have also been working with multiple enterprises on innovative 5G solutions, including most recently powering up the first-in-the-region 5G network on an offshore oil and gas platform. We have a proven track record and deep experience in rolling out networks in Malaysia. With our modernised, state-of-the-art 5G-ready and the country’s largest 4G and 4G+ network, we believe we are in the best position to lead the development of the second 5G network for Malaysia, and to accelerate digital economic growth for the nation.”
In terms of its ongoing network integration and modernisation programme, CelcomDigi says it has passed its 50% completion mark as of mid-June 2024. It added that all key elements of CelcomDigi’s modernised network are 5G-ready for RAN, core and transport, to be commissioned for a 5G and 5G-Advanced standalone network. It claims that their network could potentially deliver one of the largest 5G networks in the region geared towards building Malaysia’s digital society.
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