Page 72 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2022

WHOLESALE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Malaysia 5G Wholesale Operator Denies State Funding

Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), an entity
set up by Malaysia’s government to run a
single wholesale 5G network, went on the
defensive a day after reports of political
scrutiny, insisting there is no state funding
or guarantees anticipated or expected
other than an initial start-up investment
of MYR500 million ($110.9 million). In
a statement, DNB reiterated it will cost
MYR16.5 billion to deploy the nationwide
infrastructure over a ten-year period, which
will be completely funded by revenue
generated from the sale of capacity to
mobile operators. It responded a day after
Reuters reported the nation’s new Prime
Minister will review the controversial policy
to create a single wholesale 5G network due
to a lack of transparency in the formulation
of the plan. DNB noted major operators
Celcom Axiata, Digi, Telekom Malaysia,
U Mobile and YTL Communications had run company said the 5G network currently stated they clocked a throughput of 1Gb/s
agreed terms to access the wholesale reaches about 38 per cent of populated on the 5G network using the 28GHz band at
network and have launched retail 5G areas nationwide and is on target to hit a a distance of what they claim is a record of
services. Maxis continues to review the previously-agreed 80 per cent by 2024. 11.18km from a radio antenna.
terms of the access agreement. The state- DNB and equipment supplier Ericsson

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