Malaysians will have to wait another 2 more years for the launch of 5G



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Once a forerunner in the 5G race, Malaysia’s rollout for next-generation mobile technology has been delayed after the management change. The initial plan to implement 5G services for the third quarter of 2020 has been put on the back burner, as the new government has changed its focus on strengthening existing 4G networks under the JENDELA plan.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah had told Parliament yesterday that the 5G rollout in Malaysia will take place towards the end of 2022 or early 2023 after achieving specific connectivity targets. The implementation will depend on the preparation of our communications infrastructure.

He said there is no point in having 5G in select areas when rural areas are still struggling to get 4G. Other factors to consider include user adoption, regulation, consumer charges, and ways to minimize the digital divide. He added that other things to consider is industry readiness, as 70% of 5G use will come from industries, while the remaining 30% will come from consumers.

The minister emphasized that an orderly and well-planned implementation of 5G is more important than following the hype of 5G providers with a hasty implementation. Under the JENDELA plan, the government aims to increase 4G population coverage from 91.8% to 96.9% in phase 1, while increasing fixed broadband speeds from 25 Mbps to 35 Mbps. In addition, Malaysia also has The objective is to increase the number of premises with gigabit connectivity to 7.5 million.

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