What once was considered to only exist within the realm of sci-fi novels and movies may soon become a reality. That is, the telecoms upcoming test is successful.
The companies announced on 30 December 2019, that they are conducting one of the world’s first 5G standalone roaming trials in Malaysia in the first quarter of 2020.
The trial, a collaboration with a Chinese tech giant, will help the telecoms identify the right prices and configurations for seamless roaming in both countries when a 5G network becomes commercially available.
They include testing multi-party video calls and cross-border 5G holographic calls between Singapore and Malaysia conducted independently of 4G – different from current trials, which piggyback on a 4G network.
It was previously reported that a British telecom successfully trialled a 5G holographic call with England Women’s Football captain in September 2018.
The CTO of one of the telecoms, one of the four major telecoms in the Republic of Singapore, stated that the firm found it ideal to begin 5G trials in Malaysia, which was Singapore’s closest neighbour and a top travel destination for customers.
Meanwhile, the CTO of the Malaysian mobile telecommunications service provider stated that the company had been aggressively expanding its network to catch up to older competitors, and was betting on 5G for future growth.
These trials will not only benefit the business and travel communities who regularly commute between the two countries; experts also think it will be beneficial to the healthcare industry, as 5G standalone roaming may enable remote surgery to be done across borders.
Pushing Forward Malaysia’s 5G Agenda
OpenGov Asia previously reported that Malaysia is determined to migrate to the 5G network by 2020, rolling out massive 5G project demonstrations nationwide, making the country among the first in Asia to deploy the technology.
Industry players are in agreement with the government’s ambitious and pragmatic approach, providing unwavering support and investments – proving the industry’s commitment towards establishing a viable use for 5G applications that would transform various industries as well as improve living standards among Malaysians.
In September 2019, the Chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced that eight companies have committed to an initial investment of RM116 million for 5G demonstration projects from October 2019 to March 2020.
Moreover, the government launched the five-year National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) in September 2019. The plan aims to improve Internet quality and provide accessible and affordable connectivity to rural consumers.
The NFCP aims to bridge the urban-rural digital divide as service providers are generally reluctant to invest in telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas, as such ventures could be expensive due to challenges such as irregular terrain and dispersed settlements.
As such, the MCMC had set up the Universal Service Provision (USP) Fund which aims to bridge the digital divide by providing collective and individual access to basic telephony and Internet services throughout the country.
In December 2019, the MCMC said six telecommunications companies conducted 5G demonstration projects (5GDP) in Langkawi, which have begun to show very good results with 37 cases of utilisation in agriculture, digital healthcare, education, entertainment, smart city, smart transport, and tourism sectors.
The government further cemented its aspirations to grow Malaysia’s digital ecosystem with the introduction of the RM50 million 5G Ecosystem Development grant under the 2020 Budget to encourage technological innovation in the country.
The grant would incentivise local companies to venture into 5G development; further innovating and stirring demand nationwide.
5G is expected to deliver 10 times higher speed than the current 4G technology, with speeds going beyond 1Gbps (gigabits per second), and will offer far superior user experience and capacity.
Malaysia believes it will greatly facilitate the government’s efforts to improve the livelihoods of Malaysians and catalyse Malaysia’s development.
