KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 – Despite Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) achieving an impressive 80 per cent coverage milestone for Malaysia’s second 5G network, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced a delay in its rollout. Fahmi attributed this setback to the pending formation of the DNB board, a crucial step before proceeding with the network deployment.
Despite discussions between telecommunications providers and the Treasury secretary-general, the process is expected to take some time due to legal considerations, leaving the matter in the hands of a special committee co-chaired by the Communications Ministry and the chief secretary of the treasury. The delay is notable given DNB’s significant progress, with nationwide coverage hitting the 80 per cent threshold by January 10.
The collaboration between DNB and major mobile network operators aims to address concerns about corporate interests dominating the 5G rollout, ensuring its status as a public utility. Fahmi remains optimistic about the eventual rollout, emphasizing the importance of procedural adherence and collaboration between stakeholders in realizing this ambitious endeavor.
