The Malaysian government's 5G wholesale network operator Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) has struck a 10-year partnership deal with Swedish telco equipment vendor Ericsson to drive its nationwide deployment of the next-generation wireless cellular technology.

Using the capabilities of 5G and accelerating the deployment of Malaysia's nationwide 5G network and ecosystem, DNB will provide access and services to mobile service providers and others licenced by the regulators, to enable a world-class 5G experience and make Industry 4.0 a reality in Malaysia.

It aims to launch Malaysia's first 5G network in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya in the initial phase. Ericsson's local presence and deployment expertise are key to meeting DNB's target of 80 per cent 5G nationwide population coverage by 2024.

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DNB Chief Executive Officer Ralph Marshall said: "DNB is committed to delivering the best technology and innovation opportunities for Malaysians, businesses and government to ensure that Malaysia takes its place at the forefront of the global digital economy. We identified Ericsson to offer the best next-generation 5G technology and professional services available to suit DNB's specific and unique requirements."

David Hägerbro, head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, said: "5G is a platform for open innovation and is becoming the cornerstone upon which a country's competitiveness is built. Malaysia's and DNB's commitment to accelerating the deployment of 5G is to be congratulated, as it will speed up the adoption of 5G nationally, bridge the digital divide and transform the nation. 5G will help facilitate the government's ambition to promote Malaysians to become technology creators through the development of 5G applications and use cases."

DNB's exclusive partnership with Ericsson spans the delivery of energy-efficient Ericsson Radio System products and solutions, including Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, a software for wide-area 5G coverage. The scope also includes cloud native 5G Core and 5G Radio Access (RAN) nationwide.

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Ericsson will also manage the unique requirements of a single wholesale network with its leading managed services offering Ericsson Operations Engine. The solution can enhance the performance of DNB's network using AI, automation and cognitive software to predict and prevent issues.

DNB supports the modernisation of Malaysia's mobile networks as part of the national digital infrastructure plan, Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela), to ensure every Malaysian has quality internet connectivity.