In a Bernama report, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said a second 5G network would provide more opportunities for telecommunications companies to offer better services.

The country’s 5G coverage has reached 80.2% as of Dec 31.

Fahmi said the special committee, co-chaired by communications secretary-general Fauzi Isa and Treasury secretary-general Johan Mahmood Merican, met a few weeks ago.

“We announced that 5G network coverage has reached 80.2% on Dec 31, and so, not too long from now, we will announce our decision on whether to allow telecommunications companies to establish a second network, apart from Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB),” he told the media after the ministry’s monthly assembly here.

Fahmi said the implementation of 5G was still regulated by the communications ministry as the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) was the regulatory body in the telecommunications sector.

Last May, Putrajaya agreed to a second 5G service provider, with the shift to a dual network to commence in Phase 2 of the network’s rollout.

At the time, Fahmi said this would only happen once DNB achieved 80% coverage to populated areas.

Fahmi had previously also given an assurance that there would be an open tender to set up the country’s second 5G network.