TRIALS for the fifth generation mobile network (5G) will begin in Cyberjaya and Putrajaya on November 1 and run for a year, Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo said today.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will form a taskforce to lead the trials. The taskforce will include the local governments of Cyberjaya and Putrajaya.

“Testbedding 5G services is needed not just on the technology front, but also to allow the government to learn about and iron out policies, regulations and spectrum planning as 5G NR deployment will be markedly different from earlier standards,” Gobind said at a dialogue session at the Malaysia: A New Dawn investment conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Cyberjaya and Putraja were chosen as testbed areas for 5G as these cities already have the infrastructure, he added.

“Beginning November 2018 for a period of 1 year, telcos, vendors, researchers, startups and technology adopters will be invited to carry out 5G trials in Cyberjaya and Putrajaya in order to explore the practical uses and modes of implementation,” said Gobind.  

He said Network Facility Provider (NFP) and Network Service Provider (NSP) licences will be liberalised to promote competition in the industry followed by benefits to consumers.

He added the liberalisation of both licenses will allow Malaysia to attract major data centres, making it a regional hub.

He cited a few advantages that the country possesses which will make the plan possible such as the strategic location of the country in South-East Asia.

“Global giants like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon should look no further than Malaysia to place their data centres here.

“Just as I started out talking about the stability of the new administration and the maturity of Malaysian democracy, I wish to highlight that point again.

“I want to assure you that your assets and investments will be secure and stable, and that the old days of political interference is a thing of the past,” said Gobind. – October 9, 2018.