PETALING JAYA: Maxis Bhd and Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work on a 5G-Advanced (5.5G) acceleration programme.
This includes various areas to drive commercialisation and adoption in Malaysia, spanning use cases, key technologies, technology evolution and the ecosystem.
The MoU was formalised at Mobile World Congress 2024 held in Barcelona, Spain, in the presence of Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din.
Maxis and Huawei will work with solution providers to drive applications and ecosystem innovation. They will explore initiatives to promote adoption and facilitate migration, further accelerating the technology’s acceptance. Maxis and Huawei will also showcase the benefits of end-to-end 5.5G versatility, security and robustness via trial and testing.
At the same time, both companies will utilise network insights to identify opportunities for business solutions and optimisation enabled by 5G and 5.5G, focusing on consumers and businesses, including small and medium enterprises. This includes exploring opportunities in key technologies related to digital operations, network slicing and network programmability.
“As Malaysia’s leading integrated telecommunications provider, we look forward to developing impactful solutions that take advantage of existing 5G capabilities, as well as the speed, massive connections and latency improvements afforded by 5.5G to deliver useful solutions and an even better customer experience,” said Maxis CEO Goh Seow Eng.
Huawei Malaysia CEO Simon Sun said, “Banking on our world-renowned capabilities in Research and Development and innovative technologies, we are excited to work alongside Maxis to expand the commercial horizons of 5.5G. This will show the world that Malaysia leads the region in digital infrastructure, proving its enabling environment and digital facilities are one of the best to attract and retain foreign investments.”
As key ecosystem players, Maxis and Huawei will also study future technology and spectrum evolution and provide recommendations in line with business cases and ecosystem readiness. These will be aligned with Malaysian Government policy to support the advancement of 5.5G in the country.
The MoU is a result of Maxis’ and Huawei’s prior technology association. Most recently, both companies successfully showcased the first 5.5G or 5G-Advanced technology trial in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The trials included a single-user live speed test to demonstrate 5.5G capabilities to achieve ultra-fast peak speeds of up to 8Gbps, in line with the promise of 5G-Advanced technology.
