Ericsson has entered into a ten-year partnership deal with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) to deliver a nationwide 5G single wholesale network for Malaysia. In a press release regarding the development, the Swedish vendor noted that its exclusive partnership with DNB spans delivery of energy-efficient Ericsson Radio System products and solutions, including Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, a software for wide-area 5G coverage. The scope of the deal also includes cloud-native 5G Core and 5G Radio Access (RAN) nationwide. Meanwhile, the gear maker will reportedly manage the ‘unique requirements’ of a single wholesale network with its Managed Services offering, Ericsson Operations Engine. Ericsson’s end-to-end scope also includes operational support systems (OSS) and business support systems (BSS) solutions.
With DNB aiming to launch Malaysia’s first 5G network in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya in the initial phase later this year, it has been claimed that Ericsson’s local presence and deployment expertise are key to meeting the operator’s target of 80% 5G nationwide population coverage by 2024.
Commenting, DNB’s chief executive officer, Ralph Marshall, was cited as saying: ‘DNB is committed to delivering the best technology and innovation opportunities for Malaysians, businesses and government to ensure that Malaysia takes its place at the forefront of the global digital economy. We identified Ericsson to offer the best next generation 5G technology and professional services available to suit DNB’s specific and unique requirements.’