The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has announced the first set of spectrum bands that will be used for the 5G rollout in Malaysia. Referred to as the pioneer 5G spectrum bands, they come in three different bands.

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Interesting enough, the 700MHz and 3.5GHz (specifically 3.4GHhz to 3.6GHz) bands will be allocated to one particular consortium that consisted of multiple companies, instead of awarding them to individual companies. MCMC believes that this approach will lead to better optimization of costs, infrastructure, and resources.

For starters, 2x30MHz of 700MHz and 100MHz of 3.5GHz will be available through tender process in Q1 2020 while the rest will be assigned later. On another hand, the 26/28GHz (24.9GHz to 28.1GHz) spectrum bands will be awarded in two different manners.

Specifically, four blocks of 400Mhz from 24.9GHz to 26.5GHz will be provided through tender process which will also takes place in Q1 2020. MCMC will also assign four blocks of 400MHz from 26.5GHz to 28.1GHz bands which are meant for localized and private network on first-come first-served basis at a later date.

MCMC now expects that the commercial rollout of 5G in Malaysia will begin in Q3 2020 which is much earlier than the original 2021 timeline. Looks like 2020 is going to be the year of 5G in Malaysia after all.

(Source: MCMC – [pdf])

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