Covering Disruptive Technology Powering Business in The Digital Age

Written by: Izzat Najmi Abdullah, Journalist, AOPG.

Malaysia is strategically positioning itself as a frontrunner in the digital landscape of Southeast Asia, aiming to spearhead the adoption of 5G technology among enterprises nationwide.

Leveraging Malaysia’s 5G network, a collaborative effort between the country’s Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) and Ericsson saw both signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with key digital players such as eMooVit Technology (autonomous transport), Scania (fleet management), and SKF Malaysia (smart manufacturing) to pilot these solutions at the grand and brand-new TRX Exchange 106.

DNB and Ericsson will partner together with Intel (their technology partner as per an earlier MoU) to collaborate on the development of 5G use cases to spur the adoption of the new technology by enterprises.

Malaysia’s 5G network coverage has been quite impressive, with over 80% of populated areas covered, serving more than 11.9 million subscribers throughout the nation. But what really catches the eyes and ears of the attendees is its network performance.

As evidenced by Ookla’s Q4 2023 report, Malaysia’s 5G network achieved the highest 5G Consistency Score globally for that period, with a score of 97.3%, underscoring the country’s reliability as a platform for transformative solutions. This not only enhances the competitiveness of Malaysia’s business landscape but also attracts foreign investors seeking a future-proof infrastructure.

YB Gobind, Malaysia’s Minister of Digital, commended the nation’s high-performing 5G network as a “world-class digital infrastructure,” emphasising its pivotal role in facilitating industry adoption of 5G-powered use cases. “The widespread availability of high-quality 5G in Malaysia right now means that it is far easier than ever for industries to adopt use cases that are powered by 5G technology,” he said.

YB Gobind, Malaysia’s Minister of Digital

The minister, who officiated the signings of these MoUs, expressed delight at the 59-year ongoing partnership between the Malaysian government and Ericsson, which has made Malaysia’s 5G rollout a success. YB Gobind was in full praise, noting that since the company first set up operations in 1965, Ericsson has always played a vital role in the development of the Malaysian telecommunications industry.

A Lighthouse for Malaysia’s Digital Future

“To lead on 5G by actually building one network, that takes a lot of challenges involved in doing that, but thanks to a great decision and excellent execution by DNB, now Malaysia has actually a world-class digital infrastructure,” Börje Ekholm, Ericsson Group CEO said in his speech.

The Swedish executive revealed that he experienced a fast and stable 500 megabit-per-second (Mbps) Internet connection the moment he stepped foot in Malaysia this morning.

“So now that we have this good asset, strong digital infrastructure, what’s the next step? Of course, it is to leverage this to digitalise Malaysia in new ways,” Börje Ekholm, Ericsson Group CEO said.

Datuk Ahmad Zaki Zahid, DNB’s Chief Strategy Officer, underscores Malaysia’s unique position with its extensive 5G network coverage, aiming to establish industry leaders – “lighthouses” – that showcase the full potential of 5G and digitalisation.

Datuk Ahmad Zaki Zahid, DNB Chief Strategy Officer delivered his speech at the Memorandum of Understanding to Advance 5G for Enterprises in Malaysia.

The collaboration between DNB, Ericsson and their partner Intel, plus the signing of the MoUs, not only benefits Malaysian enterprises but also serves as a global model for communication service providers. By demonstrating the efficacy of 5G use cases in driving Business-to-Business (B2B) engagements, this partnership accelerates global 5G adoption, heralding a new era of digital transformation.

Malaysia’s robust 5G ecosystem, coupled with strategic partnerships and industry initiatives, positions the nation at the forefront of digital innovation, poised to shape the future of connectivity and enterprise in the region and beyond.

“It is heartening to note that Malaysia’s 5G network is built for the future, and its future-ready capabilities will be able to serve enterprises in their digitalisation journey today, tomorrow, and well into the future,” YB Gobind Singh said as he concluded his keynote speech.

(0)(0)