LANGKAWI, Jan 20 — Collaboration among various stakeholders including local authorities, state governments and the relevant agencies and ministries is critical to guarantee the successful roll-out of 5G, says Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
He said giving Malaysians from every corner of the country an opportunity to reap the benefits of connectivity and the many digital technologies available is a collective responsibility.
“In order to facilitate a faster and more cost-efficient roll-out, it is important that we define clear guidelines and standards.
“I would like the industry and the relevant government agencies to work with MCMC to ensure that this important aspect of rolling out 5G technology is clearly articulated and defined as part of the implementation plan,” he said in his speech at the 5G Malaysia International Conference 2020 here today.
Explaining further, Gobind said this in turn will provide for a streamlined way of rolling-out new 5G products and services.
Giving an example, he said clear guidelines and standards of what constitutes a ‘Smart City’ would ensure that solutions can be replicated and rolled out across multiple municipalities.
Gobind said a lack of common standards and guidelines would result in duplication, higher costs and the inability to leverage innovative solutions across these municipalities.
He also encouraged industry players to identify new and innovative ways to collectively build and share their infrastructure.
This approach is intended to lower the capital expenditure by minimising costs and prevent the duplication of infrastructure.
He said building the infrastructure for 5G could cost between RM7 billion and RM8 billion over the medium term, in addition to investments in 4G and LTE.
“The roll-out of infrastructure and services is not an end in itself, rather, it is part of the Shared Prosperity Vision of Malaysia.
“The Shared Prosperity Vision will see a recalibration and restructuring of the Malaysian economy on a more progressive trajectory and centred on development for all,” he said, adding that all this would not be possible without the availability of digital platforms on which services can be provided to all corners of society. — Bernama
