81.5 per cent 5G coverage increases

The 5G network services reached 81.5 per cent coverage in populated areas as of April 30, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi stated that the adoption of the 5G network has increased by 3.8 per cent compared to March.

He explained that, overall, there are 13.2 million 5G accounts, marking a very positive achievement.

“As of April 30, 2024, 5G network coverage in populated areas has reached 81.5%. In terms of adoption, the rate for the 5G network has reached 39.2%, showing an increase of 3.8% compared to the end of March this year,” he said at a press conference after the cabinet meeting today.

However, Fahmi noted that the adoption rate in the micro, small, and medium enterprise sectors is still low.

Therefore, to increase the adoption rate in the enterprise sector, a memorandum of understanding will be signed between MCMC and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority.

Meanwhile, Fahmi also announced that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is expected to announce the tender process for telco companies interested in bidding for the second 5G network in the near future.

This purpose is to strengthen 5G network coverage in the country and further boost its adoption rate.

However, the telco companies involved must finalise the share subscription agreement (SSA) with DNB before being allowed to submit their tenders for the second 5G network bid.

“MCMC will announce the tender process, which will allow companies interested in bidding for the second network to submit their bids. However, the prerequisite is that only companies that have completed the SSA can submit a tender,” he said.