Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has said that telecommunication companies will no longer impose extra fees on subscribers for access to 5G services. This means that the public will not need to purchase add-ons or booster passes just to tap into the network moving forward, as was previously practised by some telcos.

According to Fahmi, the chief executive officers of all telco companies have agreed to forgo 5G access charges; this comes following previous comments from the minister that the government would consider taking action against telco companies that charge additional fees for their customers to access 5G services. This is because the infrastructure costs for the early development of the 5G network – prior to the signing of the Share Subscription Agreement (SSA) – was funded by the public, he explained back then.

For context, the SSA is a subsequent agreement that was signed in December 2023, which saw CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, Telekom Malaysia, and YTL Power International acquiring a total of 70% equity in Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), who is responsible for developing and deploying 5G infrastructure and network in Malaysia. Each telco will inject approximately RM233 million of funding towards the subsequent development of the new network.

In announcing this latest update, Fahmi said that subscribers will now have various additional plans and services to choose from, depending on the suitability of the plans for every individual’s use. “Subscribers, however, need to ensure that the device they use supports the 5G network,” he stated, and also urged all mobile network operators to take note of the various telecommunication-related problems voiced by the public.

Dulu masa 3G naik taraf ke 4G, tiada caj tambahan. Bila 4G naik taraf ke 5G, tak sepatutnya ada caj tambahan.

Hari ini, saya umumkan, TIADA LAGI CAJ TAMBAHAN untuk perkhidmatan 5G.

Dengan pengumuman ini, saya ingin mengajak semua untuk naik taraf perkhidmatan telekomunikasi… pic.twitter.com/zaJBUZsbt5

— Fahmi Fadzil 🇲🇾 (@fahmi_fadzil) January 9, 2024

It is also worth highlighting that some telcos are already providing free access to the 5G network even prior to Fahmi’s announcement, including Maxis and U Mobile. Other telcos that are currently still charging for the access are expected to follow suit in the near future following this update, with clarifications to be made soon.

(Sources: Malay Mail, Lowyat.NET)

• TAGS:
• 5G
• Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB)
• Fahmi Fadzil
• Maxis
• Share Subscription Agreement (SSA)
• Telekom Malaysia
• YTL Power International