KUAAL LUMPUR, December 16 – Malaysia’s median 5G download speeds have nearly halved since peaking in late 2023, as rapid user adoption places increasing strain on the country’s single wholesale network, according to a new Ookla report released on December 15.
The report found that median download speeds fell from 451.79 Mbps in late 2023 to 242.92 Mbps by the third quarter of 2025, while upload speeds declined from 49.87 Mbps to 29.52 Mbps, reflecting heavier network demand despite Malaysia’s strong early 5G performance.
Although current speeds still outperform markets such as Japan, the Philippines and Thailand, they now trail regional leaders like South Korea and Singapore, with coverage gaps forcing most users to spend nearly two-thirds of their time on 4G networks.
To address capacity and coverage challenges, the government has approved the rollout of a second 5G network aimed at improving resilience, competition and overall user experience.
