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. Read: Huawei, partners release 5G White Paper 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. Read: Planning to launch 5G by end of this year: Joy 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.

Communications technology provider Ericsson projects that 5G mobile subscriptions will exceed 580 million by the end of 2021 and cross 3.5 billion by 2026. Northeast Asia is expected to account for the largest share of 5G subscriptions by 2026 with an estimated 1.4 billion 5G subscriptions. North American and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets are forecast to account for the highest 5G subscription penetration with 5G mobile subscriptions comprising 84% and 73% of all regional mobile subscriptions, Ericsson said. Also read: 5G phone: Realme targets 100 million youth customers by 2024 However, the pace of adoption varies widely by region. Europe is off to a slower start and has continued to fall far behind China, the US, Korea, Japan and the GCC markets in the pace of 5G deployments, Ericsson's biannual mobility report said. 5G is expected to surpass a billion subscriptions two years ahead of the 4G LTE timeline for the same milestone. Key factors behind that include China's earlier commitment to 5G and the earlier availability and increasing affordability of commercial 5G devices. More than 300 5G smartphone models have already been announced or launched commercially, Ericsson said. Also read: ZTE implements SuperDSS for 5G transition in S Africa "We are in the next phase of 5G, with accelerating rollouts and coverage expansion in pioneer markets such as China, the US and South Korea. Now is the time for advanced use cases to start materialising and deliver on the promise of 5G. Businesses and societies are also preparing for a post-pandemic world, with 5G-powered digitalisation playing a critical role," Ericsson's head of networks Fredrik Jejdling said. "Going beyond the existing technologies that have played a key role in Bangladesh's digital development, 5G can address the rapid data growth and reduce cost per GB. It can further stimulate the digital economy in Bangladesh through innovation-driven platforms," Abdus Salam, head of Ericsson Bangladesh, said. Read $300 billion market by 2025 for Augmented Reality: Huawei

More than 1 billion people – 15% of the world’s population – will live in an area with 5G coverage by the end of 2020.

David Hagerbro has been appointed as the head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh units, and global customer unit of Axiata.