Malaysia's bold decision to commission a nationwide 5G network has resulted in it becoming a global showcase in terms of performance, affordability, reach and speedy rollout; all aspects that serve as drivers towards its goal of becoming a leading digital nation.

Today, the country's strong digital infrastructure, powered by Digital Nasional Berhad's world-class 5G network, provides a solid strategic competitive asset for the nation to leverage, as it emerges as a digital economy.

5G is a platform for innovation with significant economic opportunities. It can address climate change, boost social inclusion, enhance well-being, and close the digital divide in areas with poor infrastructure. Embracing digital transformation is essential for enterprises to drive innovation and create value in the digital economy. This requires workforce upskilling, adopting emerging technologies, and collaborating with government and other ecosystem players.

Globally, 5G is expected to drive trillions in economic growth globally over the next 10-15 years, with a PwC study estimating it will add $1.3 trillion to global GDP by 2030, mainly from healthcare, smart utilities and consumer/media applications.

Malaysia's strong 5G infrastructure has immense potential to drive positive impact across various sectors and benefit the entire economy. It can accelerate digital transformation, boosting efficiency, productivity, and innovation in manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and agriculture.

5G will enhance automation, robotics, and IoT in manufacturing, strengthening Malaysia's strong adoption of industry 4.0 and positioning it as a high-tech hub. It will also bridge the rural-urban divide, create thousands of jobs, and boost high-skilled employment. An Ernst & Young report projects 5G could increase Malaysia's GDP by 5% (RM122 billion) in 2030, An Ernst & Young report projects 5G could increase Malaysia's GDP by 5% (RM122 billion) in 2030, or an estimated RM650 billion cumulatively over 10 years to 2030.

The network in Malaysia has succeeded in delivering all the key success factors for 5G - availability, affordability, network experience and latest capability - which has resulted in Malaysia becoming a global showcase.

Malaysia's 5G deployment was among the fastest globally, with 80% coverage of populated areas available a year ahead of schedule in 2023. With shared network costs, 5G services in Malaysia are among the most affordable in the world.

DNB's network has set global records, being the first to have five operators share one mobile radio network while using their own mobile core networks. It also deployed the world's first 5G Dynamic Radio Resource Partitioning to serve six operators.

DNB created a world record with millimeter wave (mmWave) in Malaysia of 1Gbps downlink speed. This was achieved over a world record distance of 11.18km demonstrating how mmWave, with the support of Ericsson's extended-range software, can deliver cost-effective and high-quality Internet connectivity in areas where wired alternatives aren't economically feasible.

A testimony to Malaysia's world class network experience is that it was ranked first globally for 5G consistency by Ookla and consistently features in the Top 5 for download speeds by leading industry benchmarks.

Equipped with the latest capabilities, Malaysia's 5G network is ready for advanced features, having tested technologies like mmWave and Reduced Capability (RedCap) to enhance existing use cases and enable new ones for devices such as smartwatches, wearables, and industrial sensors by reducing complexity and extending battery life.

Malaysia has received global recognition, winning awards such as the "Managed Service Mastery" category at the Glotel Awards for Ericsson's joint submission with DNB and the "Best Automated Operations Solution Incorporating AI Functionality" from FutureNet World.

Malaysia's world-class 5G network has given it a head start and competitive advantage in the region, making it an attractive investment destination. To ensure the continued success of 5G in Malaysia and the aspiration to be a leading Digital Nation, several key areas factors must be addressed.

5G adoption should be driven by high-quality, affordable, and fast connectivity. It should continue to promote digitalization for efficient, scalable solutions across industries. Expanding coverage beyond 80% is essential to support future use cases and meet rural needs.

Leading digital nations are deploying over 100 MHz of mid-band spectrum for 5G to meet the growing demand for high-speed and reliable connectivity. Malaysia's 5G network is also designed and capable of leveraging 200 MHz spectrum. To utilize this capacity and continue providing a world class customer experience with affordability, an additional 100 MHz of mid band spectrum will be required. This is also critical for enterprise uses, maximizing efficiency and creating a more sustainable industry.

To future-proof the DNB network, Ericsson and DNB plan to collaborate on 5G Advanced, ensuring it remains a top-performing global network.

Ericsson continues to build and operate DNB's 5G network, leveraging 5G Advanced and AI/ML to enhance operations. Collaborating with local and global ecosystems, Ericsson is driving the digitalization of industries, developing 5G solutions for enterprises in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Ericsson is leveraging its 5G leadership to support Malaysia's objective of becoming a leading digital nation. A Frost & Sullivan report reaffirms Ericsson's leadership in the 5G network infrastructure market, including RAN, transport, and core networks.

For the fourth consecutive year, Ericsson leads the Frost Radar™ 5G Network Infrastructure Market analysis, highlighting its successful strategy for CSPs.

In July 2024, Ericsson was named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CSP 5G RAN Infrastructure Solutions for the fourth year, ranking highest for "Ability to Execute."

Malaysians are also being prepared for their future in a digital economy through Ericsson's 5G and AI Education programs in collaboration with DNB. Around 50,000 students have had the opportunity to be educated on 5G, AI and other related technologies in 2024.

DNB's 'My5G Portal' Experience Center, with Ericsson as key partner, is one of the best and largest 5G Experience Center in the region, providing an interactive and immersive environment for visitors to experience the digital future made possible by 5G. It aims to foster 5G adoption and digitalization in Malaysia and is targeting to benefit more than 5000 visitors by the end of 2024.

Ericsson is very proud of the global showcase in Malaysia with DNB and is committed to continue supporting Malaysia's journey to be a leading Digital Nation and a global frontrunner in connectivity.