As all major telcos in Malaysia already testing 5G (mainly in Langkawi), it is only a matter of time before someone would actually utilize the technology during the on-going Movement Control Order (MCO). Today, we have learned that the first to turn on its 5G for MCO’s purpose is TM.

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The company earlier today has announced that it has activated 5G at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) in Serdang as well as Ministry of Health Training Institute in Sungai Buloh. Both locations are currently being used as temporary COVID-19 quarantine centres.

Based on the information provided by TM, the 5G implementation at both quarantine centres revolves around fixed wireless access. In its response to our follow up queries, the company noted that the activation of 5G in both areas which was done with assistance from Huawei, not only involved the deployment of base stations but also 50 units of 5G CPE wireless gateways.

Taking only 3 days to be deployed, TM also stated that both implementations are Standalone (SA) 5G network that runs on 700MHz as well as 3.5GHz simultaneously. They are the second location after the same setup was deployed in Langkawi earlier this year which was said to be the first concurrent 700MHz and 3.5GHz SA 5G implementation in the world.

With the ability to deliver Wi-Fi connectivity of up to 500Mbps, TM is utilizing the 5G network to provide free Internet access to patients and frontliners at both facilities. In case you are curious to see TM’s work on 5G so far, check out our previous reports in this list which includes a closer look at TM’s 5G base station as well as the performance of its early 5G test sites in Langkawi.

For the meantime, let’s hope that the base stations at these 5G sites will be spared from being torched as per what happened in the United Kingdom.

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