Maxis Berhad (Maxis), Malaysia’s top integrated telecommunications provider, and Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Huawei Malaysia) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a 5G-Advanced (5.5G) acceleration program. This partnership encompasses various aspects aimed at promoting commercialization and adoption of 5.5G technology in Malaysia, covering use cases, key technologies, technology evolution, and ecosystem development.
The MoU was formalised at the Mobile World Congress 2024 in the presence of Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications Malaysia, and Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din, Chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Maxis and Huawei will collaborate with solution providers to drive innovation in applications and the ecosystem. They will also explore initiatives to promote adoption and facilitate migration, thereby accelerating acceptance of the technology. Additionally, both companies will demonstrate the benefits of end-to-end 5.5G versatility, security, and robustness through trial and testing.
Moreover, Maxis and Huawei will leverage network insights to identify opportunities for business solutions and optimization enabled by 5G and 5.5G, focusing on consumers and businesses, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This involves exploring opportunities in key technologies such as digital operations, network slicing, and network programmability.
Goh Seow Eng, CEO of Maxis, stated, “As Malaysia’s leading integrated telecommunications provider, we are committed to developing impactful solutions that harness the capabilities of 5G and the advancements offered by 5.5G to deliver enhanced customer experiences.”
Simon Sun, CEO of Huawei Malaysia, added, “Drawing on our renowned capabilities in Research and Development and innovative technologies, we are eager to collaborate with Maxis to expand the commercial potential of 5.5G, showcasing Malaysia’s leadership in digital infrastructure in the region.”
As key players in the ecosystem, Maxis and Huawei will also examine future technology and spectrum evolution, providing recommendations aligned with business cases and ecosystem readiness, in line with Malaysian Government policies supporting the advancement of 5.5G in the country.
This MoU builds upon the technology collaboration between Maxis and Huawei, highlighted by successful trials of 5.5G or 5G-Advanced technology in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. These trials demonstrated ultra-fast peak speeds of up to 8Gbps, showcasing the promise of 5G-Advanced technology.
