Malaysian authorities to reconsider plan for a single wholesale 5G network

Malaysian authorities will reportedly make a decision by January 2022 on whether to continue with plans for there being just a single 5G wholesale network in the country, following recent reports of concern from local cellcos over matters of pricing and transparency. According to Reuters, with the country’s proposed centralised 5G network having met with resistance from major operators, it was revealed that the Cabinet is now considering whether to allow multiple 5G network providers. Minister of Communications and Multimedia Annuar Musa was cited as saying of the matter: ‘The Cabinet will discuss again and will make a final decision by January whether to stick with a single wholesale network system or to have more than one operator to allow for some kind of competition.’ Nonetheless, Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), the wholly state-owned agency tasked with building and managing 5G infrastructure, will proceed with an initial rollout this month, Annuar was said to have confirmed.