• Ericsson enters 10-year partnership with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) to deliver a nationwide 5G single wholesale network for Malaysia
• 5G to accelerate Malaysia’s digital transformation and Industry 4.0
• Ericsson to provide end-to-end 5G, comprising core, radio access (RAN) and transport, operations and business support systems (OSS/BSS) and managed services

Malaysia and its economy are poised to benefit from a 10-year 5G partnership between Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) to drive the nationwide deployment of the next-generation wireless cellular technology in Malaysia.

5G’s speed, low-latency, and large-data-handling capabilities will digitally transform the nation, while creating a 5G ecosystem that will power innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and automation across a range of enterprise, industry and multi-sector Internet of Things (IoT) use cases.

By utilizing 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 licensed by the regulators, to enable a world-class 5G experience and make Industry 4.0 a reality in Malaysia.

Ralph Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, DNB, says: “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.”

Ericsson’s participation in the national 5G project will see direct and indirect socio-economic contributions in areas such as job creation, partnership with Bumiputera and other local contractors and ecosystem players, and knowledge and capacity building in Malaysia.

David Hägerbro, Head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, says: “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 to facilitate the government’s ambition to promote Malaysians to become technology creators through development of 5G applications and use cases.”

He adds: “With a 56-year legacy of contributing to Malaysia’s development, we are excited to be extending our commitment to the nation. Ericsson is confident that with our global 5G leadership and strong deployment capabilities, we will meet the deployment targets set by DNB.”

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.

The scope also includes cloud-native 5G Core and 5G Radio Access (RAN) nationwide. Ericsson will also manage the unique requirements of a single wholesale network with its leading Managed Services offering, Ericsson Operations Engine. The solution will enhance the performance of DNB’s network using AI , automation and cognitive software to predict and prevent issues.

Ericsson’s end-to-end scope also includes operational support systems (OSS) and business support systems (BSS) solutions.

DNB is tasked with helping Malaysia to achieve its digital aspirations as outlined in the government’s MyDIGITAL blueprint, which plans to transform Malaysia into a digitally driven, high income nation and a leader in digital content, cyber security and digital economy in the Southeast Asia region.

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

DNB 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 percent 5G nationwide population coverage by 2024.

Ericsson is a global 5G leader with 97 5G networks operating live across 46 countries.