The Selangor state government now thinks that its ambitious plan to roll out 5G will be delayed by a little bit, but officials are still sure that full coverage in populated areas will be available by early 2026. What stopped it? The addition of a second 5G network under U Mobile has made it harder to coordinate and set up infrastructure.
Dual Networks = Dual Challenges
Dr. Fahmi Ngah, the state executive councilor for Islam and Innovation, said that the rollout is going slower than expected, but it’s still moving forward. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said about two months ago that 5G coverage had reached 97%.
Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), Malaysia’s main 5G provider since 2021, was the first company to help the state roll out 5G. But the process got harder when the government approved a second wholesale network under U Mobile. Dual networks mean that providers have to work together more. There may be site overlap, and negotiations take longer to avoid interference.
Interestingly, Malaysia’s experience with complex network rollouts mirrors the country’s wider digital transformation. Industries like fintech, esports, and online gaming are also navigating infrastructure shifts and regulation. According to expert insights, Malaysia’s online casino scene is embracing new tech. This means streamlining transactions and adapting to smarter regulations that keep gameplay fair and payouts quick. It’s part of the same nationwide momentum driving Malaysia’s digital future, where innovation and oversight are finally starting to work in sync.
“The target is 100% by the end of 2025,” Fahmi said at the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2025. “We believe there may be a slight delay due to the rollout of the second network by U Mobile, but we are confident that full coverage will be achieved by early next year.”
While physical installation of 5G towers is progressing, “the bottleneck comes from site acquisition and stakeholder discussions.” These include getting access agreements, tower permits, and securing rooftops. This usually means working together with local councils, developers, and property owners. Such issues, he said, “take time to resolve,” but the state is paving the way to completing its network goals.
U Mobile’s ULTRA5G Push
U Mobile officially launched ULTRA5G in August 2025, bringing Malaysia’s long-awaited second 5G network to life. The rollout changed the country’s telecommunications landscape in a big way, making it possible for more competition, new ideas, and choices for consumers. The company’s first live test was anything but subtle. They streamed a 4K video from a moving roller coaster to show how quickly data could be sent and received.
U Mobile’s 5G network is different from DNB’s shared infrastructure model because it runs on its own architecture. This gives U Mobile direct control over its systems and the ability to offer different services.
The network uses both the 3.5 GHz and 700 MHz bands, which gives it both high speed and good indoor penetration. Huawei and ZTE are responsible for the infrastructure in Peninsular and East Malaysia, respectively, as part of contracts signed earlier this year.
The company wants to cover 80% of the population by the end of 2026. It will start in densely populated commercial and industrial areas and then move on to residential areas. In its first year, it also plans to add indoor 5G coverage to at least 170 buildings.
Within a few years, it will add coverage to over 600 locations, such as hospitals, airports, malls, and government offices. The plan is similar to what’s happening in Asia, where the success of 5G rollout is measured not only by how well it works outside, but also by how well it works inside, where people live and work.
Industrial Priority for Selangor
Selangor is experimenting with 5G-A enabling features like network slicing, AI-powered orchestration, and more efficient spectrum use. Coverage priorities are determined by economic impact according to Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
“Industrial areas will come first, followed by educational institutions, then residential zones based on demand,” he explained. With industries rapidly adopting automation, sensors, and smart logistics, reliable 5G connectivity could transform the state’s economic backbone.
Amirudin emphasized that 4G remains sufficient for most households and day-to-day needs. “The real difference with 5G will be felt in manufacturing, logistics, and digital infrastructure,” he added.
These areas are part of Selangor’s IoT-Enabled Industrial Parks (IEIP) project, which was started at the same time as the SIBS 2025 summit. The goal of the project is to bring in investors from around the world who are looking for advanced connectivity systems.
