Digital Nasional Berhad Commences 5G Services on Ericsson Built Network in Malaysia

Malaysia’s Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) has announced the commercial availability of 5G services on the 5G network deployed by Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) following its selection as DNB’s 5G network equipment provider (NEP) in July this year.

5G services will be available in parts of Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Kuala Lumpur in December 2021. Thereafter, it is planned to reach approximately 40 per cent coverage in populated areas by the end of 2022 and subsequently will be extended nationwide to cover other urban and rural areas and industrial parks, with a target of approximately 80 per cent coverage in populated areas by 2024.

In conjunction with the commencement of its service, DNB has offered its wholesale 5G services at no cost until Q1 2022 to all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) that are integrated into the DNB network.

David Hägerbro, Head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh says, “With its higher speed, ultra-low latency and reliability, the 5G network will ensure that DNB can deliver a leading, world-class 5G network and experience for users in Malaysia. It will also help the country achieve its objectives of transforming the country into a digital economy”.

“For 5G to be successful in Malaysia, there are key success factors that Ericsson and DNB are addressing, namely, affordability, customer experience and security,” says David Hägerbro.

Ericsson is leveraging on its technology leadership and global 5G deployment experience to build a world-class 5G network end-to-end in Malaysia. Both Frost Radar, as well as Gartner Magic Quadrant, have ranked Ericsson as a leader in 5G. Ericsson will leverage on advanced solutions like Multi-Operator Core Networks using the 5G Radio Resource Partitioning feature, so that the radio access network can be shared by six operators, while at the same time allowing each operator to have their own core to create differentiation. The 5G network will be operated using largely local resources and the latest tools and Artificial Intelligence. “This will guarantee the lowest cost per GB and enable affordable 5G for Malaysians as well as a world-class customer experience,” says David Hägerbro.

Since 5G will be used by enterprises, network security is extremely important. “Security is one of the corner stones of Ericsson and the 5G network that we are building in Malaysia is trustworthy, resilient and secure by design from day one,” says David Hägerbro.

Ericsson’s partnership with DNB will also contribute to the economy by partnering local contractors and hiring more Malaysians as part of Ericsson’s commitment to Malaysia.  The deployment of the network will also result in the development of local skills and transfer of knowledge and expertise.

”To deliver the full value of 5G to Malaysia, we will also be bringing together partners across ecosystems to collaborate, innovate and incubate ideas. Because we believe 5G is much more than just connectivity. It’s going to be the most important platform for innovation,” says David Hägerbro.

Nunzio Mirtillo, Head of Ericsson South East Asia, Oceania and India says,” Ericsson is fully committed to supporting DNB for the 5G project in Malaysia because we believe in the value that it will deliver to Malaysia. We will ensure that the DNB network not only becomes a showcase of 5G experience in the region but also as a shining example of what technology innovation can offer.”

DNB’s exclusive partnership with Ericsson spans delivery of energy-efficient Ericsson Radio System products and solutions, including Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, a software for wide-area 5G coverage by enabling 1ms scheduling for best spectral efficiency. The scope also includes cloud-native 5G Core apart from 5G RAN nationwide. Ericsson will also manage the unique requirements of a single wholesale network with its leading Managed Services offering, Ericsson Operations Engine, which will enhance the performance of DNB’s network using AI, automation and Cognitive Software to predict and prevent issues before they occur. Ericsson’s end-to-end scope also includes operational support systems (OSS) and business support systems (BSS) solutions.

Ericsson is a global leader in 5G with 105 live 5G networks across 46 countries and 168 Commercial 5G agreements.