
Malaysian’s could be utilizing the 5G network by the end of 2021. The major telco providers such as Maxis, Celcom, Digi and U Mobile are getting ready to the 5G network rollout in Malaysia. Yesterday, Celcom and Maxis have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore infrastructure sharing to potentially accelerate the rollout of 5G in Malaysia.
With this partnership between the two major providers, we can expect the 5G network to be available as sooner than expected. The collaboration between Maxis and Celcom allows both parties to explore the possible business opportunities in 5G strategic areas which could benefit people and businesses in Malaysia. All this can happen once the 5G spectrum is determined. Does this mean Maxis and Celcom are not competitors anymore?
Maxis and Celcom will be competing together

Both Maxis and Celcom are competitors and there are no changes on it. However, they will be competitive in other business areas. During the MoU signing ceremony, CEO of Celcom, Idham Nawawi and CEO of Maxis, Gokhan Ogut has together signed the MoU.
According to the CEO of Celcom, Idham Nawawi
“We believe collaboration is the way forward for the industry and working with Maxis to explore a more coordinated 5G deployment in Malaysia is something we are excited about. 5G is the next evolution that will transform how people work, live and play. It will enable a more enhanced consumer experience as well as create new opportunities for consumers, students, governments and businesses alike. Our potential collaboration will pave the way for the delivery of a world-class 5G network, on top of our existing 4G and 3G/2G networks, to every Malaysian, realising a truly digital Malaysia in the IR4.0 era.”
According to the CEO of Maxis, Gokhan Ogut
“We welcome the idea of collaborating with Celcom for 5G network sharing. We are already sharing towers, fiber and working together on connectivity for rural areas and USP projects. This helps us save resources and accelerate rollout. With this 5G network sharing, it presents an opportunity for us to deliver more value to our customers. Such industry collaboration is important in supporting Malaysia’s ambition in driving the digital economy.”