by FAYYADH JAAFAR / pic source: Yes.5G’s Facebook

NO DECISION has been made on the proposal by Malaysia’s four largest telecommunications companies (telcos) to claim 51 stakes in the state’s 5G agency Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said.

Nonetheless, he maintained that the telcos must meet the deadline by June 30 for the 5G rollout as outlined by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia.

Annuar said it is imperative for the coverage to be completed by then because the country is moving towards better broadband connectivity through 5G.

“When we made the offer, we thought over many times on what we should do. We must make sure the industry grows and in order for it to grow, we must give a fair chance to everyone,” he said.

He also urged the telcos to make sure that there are no obstacles in the way of the 5G rollout and said he would take an action if the telcos fail to deliver.

“I am very serious about this and I want to see 5G move on without indecision. I can promise you that I will be very serious about this and that DNB must perform well.

“I am aware that some telcos have not yet started their 5G deployment. Some have even stopped deploying 5G equipment due to the lack of clarity regarding spectrum allocation. I want to assure them that my ministry will be very serious about this,” Anuuar added.

“The single-wholesale network has already been agreed on. There should be no more haggling over the pricing, although I welcome the discussions. We want to see 5G rolled out quickly so that people can experience the benefits of this technology.

“We are looking at the deployment of 5G in stages. We have done a lot of groundwork and now we are ready to take the next step,” he further said.

Commenting on the current 4G service, Annuar said that the government is satisfied with the progress made thus far.

“The 4G agenda is going well. So far, we are very much on track. We have achieved more than we targeted. But that is not good enough; 5G is the way forward.”

He said that the government had identified 4,000 points of presence (POP) in the first phase of POP rollout and had allocated RM700 million yearly for the next three years for the implementation of this programme.

“I acknowledge that we have an urban-rural divide issue. We all want to enjoy high-speed Internet. In order to achieve this goal, 4G is the foundation for 5G. I am pleased to announce that we are on track with the 4G rollout,” he told reporters after the launch of the “Yes 5G for All” campaign in Kuala Lumpur.

Yes, a wholly owned subsidiary of YTL Communications Sdn Bhd, launched its 5G campaign, which aims to provide affordable 5G plans and devices to all Malaysians.

Yes will be the first to offer 5G services in Malaysia, with the aim of providing high-speed Internet to all Malaysians, regardless of where they live. The company will be rolling out 5G in stages across the country and expects to complete the initial stage by the end of June.

The new plans and devices are expected to bring about a shift in the way Malaysians use the Internet, with speeds of up to 20 times faster than 4G.

These plans go beyond the unlimited plans currently available in the market by offering customers an Internet experience without any throttling of speed, what Yes calls the “Infinite” plan with high-speed data for both 4G and 5G. At an average price of RM0.30 per GB, these plans are 300% cheaper than the 4G market standard.

“The Infinite series of plans have been developed with customers in mind. Customers can enjoy 20 times faster speeds at 300% cheaper prices. There is no longer any need to worry about having to top up or buy add-ons.

“The price for each plan is effectively a price cap; the more you consume, the cheaper it gets! We are committed to offering a value-for-money 5G experience to serve Yes customers better every day,” said YTL Communications MD Datuk Yeoh Seok Hong.

Free phones, ranging from brands such as Vivo, Samsung, Xiaomi and Oppo, are also part of the Yes Infinite+ plans. These smartphones are for free when signing up for Yes Infinite+ plans with a 36-month contract.

“We are excited to be partnering with these notable brands who have given us their unwavering support and we look forward to working closely with them. We are confident that the coming together of Yes and these device manufacturers will see many more joining the 5G bandwagon in Malaysia.

“Five months ago, we became the nation’s first telco to offer 5G. Today marks another major milestone as we launch the next phase of our journey to enable all Malaysians to have easy access to 5G plans,” said Yeoh.

“‘5G for All’ is our commitment to provide affordable 5G services and solutions for the benefit of every Malaysian. Our 5G offering will unlock high-speed experiences that will change the way we work, live, learn and play. We are inviting Malaysians to switch to 5G with Yes and enjoy the most affordable plans, coupled with free phones on the best 5G network,” he concluded.