BARCELONA – Ericsson and Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) have inked a deal to solidify their partnership to propel Malaysia into the echelons of the world’s top-performing mobile networks with 5G Advanced technology.
The partnership, formalised with the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Mobile World Congress 2024 (MWC 2024) in Barcelona, Spain on Thursday, underscores a commitment to transform Malaysia into a leading digital nation.
The deal was signed in the presence of Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Malaysia’s 5G network is already highly-ranked globally, utilising cutting-edge technology. Ericsson and DNB aim to reinforce this position by harnessing the power of 5G Advanced, making Malaysia one of the first countries in the world to trial the 3GPP R18 software.
5G Advanced heralds a new era of connectivity, bringing substantial improvements to network performance, sustainability, and intelligence.
This paradigm shift allows for the exploration of new applications and use cases, integrating advanced features and AI-based capabilities across 5G Radio Access Network (RAN), Core, and operations domains.
David Hägerbro, Head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, said Malaysia’s 5G network is among the top five in the world and is already leveraging the latest in 5G technology.
“The next phase of 5G capabilities will allow businesses of all types to reap the benefits of enhanced mobility, flexibility, reliability and security,” Hägerbro said.
“It is ready for 5G Advanced and new use cases that emerge. Ericsson’s focus is on evolving and optimising it as the enabler to make Malaysia a leading digital nation.”
The collaboration’s primary focus is on elevating the 5G experience and expediting digital services for consumers, government, and enterprises. This includes the introduction of enhanced RAN functionalities alongside award-winning AI intent-based operations, ensuring the development of a high-performing network while optimising user experience.
Ericsson and DNB will work together on implementing end-to-end network slicing, high reliability, and low latency features for various public events, including live video broadcasting, industrial surveillance, and automation applications.
DNB chief operating officer Nasution Mohamed said DNB has successfully accelerated the 5G deployment to cover 80% coverage of populated areas by the end of 2023.
“We will continue to work with our strategic partner, Ericsson to upgrade DNB’s world-class 5G network with the latest technology as standardised by global standard 3GPP,” Nasution said.
“This new ‘5G Advanced; technology will bring advanced radio security, superior user experience and enterprise capabilities, as well as empowering sustainability through enhanced energy management.” – February 28, 2024