First in Southeast Asia, Malaysia to Roll-out 5G

Malaysia is set to be among the first in Asia to deploy the fifth generation network (5G) technology with the nationwide roll-out of 5G project demonstrations next month. 

However, GSM Association (GSMA) director-general Mats Granryd said Malaysia should take gradual and cautious steps in embarking on 5G to have more room and time to experiment and learn from countries which are already in the advanced phase of the 5G roll-out.

“It is not necessary to be the first (in implementing 5G). Maybe Malaysia can be number two or three as it gives more room to learn from others’ mistakes.

“But Malaysia should not take a wait-and-see approach either in pursuing 5G, although the technology is not widely available yet, as the adoption process could stretch out for years,” he told Bernama. 

GSMA is a trade body that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide.

Recently, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman Al-Ishsal Ishak said that the 5G demonstration projects will be conducted at 32 5G sites across six states – Kedah, Perak, Penang, Selangor, Terengganu and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

Granryd said the 5G technology would provide firm support for daily activities, allow smooth business transactions and be more economical, as maintenance for 3G technology would be expensive over time with the rapid advancement in global technology.

The network upgrade is essential to support the growing number of devices demanding Internet access, many of which require a certain amount of bandwidth to function normally, and 4G simply does not cut it anymore, he said.