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KUALA LUMPUR: Mobile network operators (MNOs) are told to stop haggling over Malaysia's single wholesale network deployment for 5G and work on meeting the June deadline to accept owning a stake in Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB).

In making this call, Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, however, said his ministry had yet to decide on four MNOs' bid to hold a controlling stake in DNB, a government-owned special purpose vehicle (SPV) overseeing the national 5G rollout.

Annuar said there should be no more haggling, particularly over pricing, as this would cause DNB problems in the future.

"A single wholesale network has already been agreed on. Price negotiations have been ongoing for some time, and certain price indications have been agreed between the MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) and DNB," he said last week at the launch of YTL's "Yes 5G for All" campaign.

DNB recently published its Reference Access Offer (RAO) which outlines the cost, deliverables, requirements, and terms and conditions for telcos to get 5G access on a wholesale model.

According to the RAO, telcos would have to pay DNB RM30,000 per Gbps for monthly 5G usage capacity for usage up to 1,200Gbps, and any subsequent usage will be charged at RM22,000 per Gbps. The pricing is based on a minimum service term of 10 years.

Four MNOs - Celcom Axiata Bhd, DiGi Telecommunications, Maxis Bhd and U Mobile Sdn Bhd (collectively known as CDMU) - reportedly wanted to have a controlling interest of 51 per cent in DNB.

Annuar said his ministry had yet to decide on the four MNOs' request on the shareholding structure in DNB.

Last month, he revealed that only Telekom Malaysia Bhd and YTL Communications Sdn Bhd had signed agreements to own equity in DNB.

YTL's Yes 5G has been the first and only telco to offer commercial 5G services to the public since December 2021.

Annuar said the government would discuss the final stakes that YTL Communications and Telekom Malaysia would have in DNB after June 30.

"When we made the offer (for the equity stake in DNB), we deliberated on what we should do many times. We must ensure that the industry grows, and for it to grow, we must give everyone a fair chance. We don't want to create a monopoly or make certain telcos so large that they eat up the smaller players," he said.

He hoped that the telcos would face no obstacles in the 5G rollout but warned that action would be taken if they failed to deliver.

"I am very serious about this, and I want to see 5G move forward without delay. I am not going to wait for anyone. DNB must perform well. I am aware that some telcos have yet to begin 5G deployment. Some have even stopped deploying 5G equipment due to the lack of clarity regarding spectrum allocation.

Celcom Axiata, an Axiata Group Bhd subsidiary, recently said it would be able to meet the government and DNB deadline for MNOs to sign up for 5G network contracts and shares in the SPV.

Source: https://www.nst.com.my/business/2022/06/801642/stop-haggling-meet-june-30-deadline-minister-told-mnos