Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has selected U Mobile as Malaysia’s second 5G network. The selection based on the evaluation criteria emphasising the provider’s ability to offer diverse and affordable 5G services enabling Malaysians to enjoy high-speed connectivity at an affordable price.

MCMC stated that the choice made is based on a combination of factors, including the submitted business and technical plan, complaint rates and customer satisfaction track records, and their performance in delivering other infrastructure initiatives. 

This includes significant contributions to the Universal Service Provision (USP) projects such as JENDELA Phase 1 and 4G Upgrading projects, which align with MCMC’s commitment to enhancing user experience and service excellence.

Through this selection, regulatory responsibilities for U Mobile can be enforced in accordance with established compliance requirements. In cases of non-compliance, penalties will be imposed. As the second 5G network provider, U Mobile is permitted to collaborate with other ecosystem partners, subject to MCMC approval. 

MCMC will continuously monitor and assess these partnerships to ensure their benefits are enjoyed by all Malaysians. 

It is worth noting that MCMC is aware of U Mobile’s current foreign shareholding, and is the license holder’s responsibility to inform MCMC of any changes in the company’s foreign ownership.

“With the establishment of a second 5G network, MCMC is paving the way for greater service flexibility and inclusivity. This development encourages competition and strengthens industry resilience, enabling Malaysians to enjoy high-speed connectivity at an affordable price. MCMC will continue to monitor quality standards among all service providers to ensure a robust and reliable telecommunications landscape for the nation’s future,” the commission said in a press statement.

In response to this, U Mobile had expressed theirheartfelt gratitude to the Malaysian government for selecting them to implement the nation’s second 5G network.

“We are excited to collaborate with various stakeholders, including MCMC and other telecommunications companies such as CelcomDigi and Telekom Malaysia to deliver world-class 5G-Advanced services to consumers. U Mobile has been proactively engaging with leading global technology providers including Huawei, with whom we have had a long and enduring partnership. U Mobile will also be working with DNB to ensure consumers continue to enjoy the best 5G experience,” the telco stated.

U Mobile also highlighted that in alignment with their commitment to the national agenda, U Mobile will reduce its foreign majority shareholding to 20%, ensuring greater Malaysian control and inviting participation from local investors.

Meanwhile, other giant Malaysian telcos–Maxis, Telekom Malaysia, and CelcomDigi–all have released separate statements related to the government’s decisions. Nonetheless, the three telcos have stipulated in their statements that their 5G offerings to customers remain unaffected and that they remain committed to serve their customers and continue working with the national government in improving national connectivity.

For context, the second 5G network refers to an additional 5G infrastructure that complements the existing Single Wholesale Network (SWN) model provided by Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB). This dual network (DN) approach introduces more competition in the telecommunications landscape, driving innovation and enhancing service quality. 

With the second 5G network, Malaysia can diversify service options, ensuring that consumers have access to more competitive prices and improved coverage. This step is crucial for bridging the digital divide and boosting economic growth through better digital infrastructure and wider reach, especially in underserved rural areas.

Malaysia Lion & Lion has been appointed by Malaysian mobile and digital services provider U Mobile to manage the telco’s social media presence for its brand and marketing services portfolios. The agreement, which began in October 2023, will see Lion & Lion apply its complete social media strategy and content development plan to improve U Mobile’s position as Malaysia’s 5G network.

Across U Mobile’s social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, Lion & Lion’s digital campaigns are developing with an emphasis on improving network and 5G perception, building brand affinity, and supporting channel expansion.

Speaking about the mandate, Bernard Lee, head of brand & marketing services at U Mobile, expressed, “We are delighted to welcome Lion & Lion as our social partner. With ambitious plans for 2024 to expand our brand presence to a wider audience, we sought fresh insights, dynamic ideas, and a partner capable of navigating this rapidly evolving market. Lion & Lion stood out with their enthusiasm and media-agnostic creativity, presenting digital and vernacular concepts for both product and brand campaigns. We’re looking forward to a collaborative journey that showcases U Mobile’s unbeatable ethos and commitment to customer enjoyment, as well as one that strengthens our position as Malaysia’s No. 1 5G network.” 

Meanwhile, Ham Maghazeh, group director of social media at Lion & Lion, shares the sentiment: “We’re proud to partner with U Mobile, an iconic brand that is locally grown, widely recognized, and loved by Malaysians. Our team is beyond excited to help shape the next social play for U Mobile, especially now with 5G, a game-changer that opens up many possibilities for both the brand and consumers.”

Furthermore, Claudia Low, creative director at Lion & Lion, stated, “Creativity drives our partnership with U Mobile. It guides how we position and showcase our 5G capabilities, how we choose our partners and sponsorship opportunities, and how we craft our content to unlock unbeatable moments for our audience with our unbeatable product. Our mission is simple: In everything we do, we aim to foster meaningful engagement and create a lasting impact.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Local telco provider U Mobile has tapped marketing and technology solutions provider GrowthOps for its refreshed website and customer experience delivery platform, U.COM.MY. The partnership between the two companies started development for this project eight months ago.

The new and enhanced platform is powered by Adobe Experience Cloud and hosted on Amazon Web Services, enabling the telco to have greater autonomy and agility in managing content, as well as access to deeper and more comprehensive user analytics.

Through the improvements, U.COM.MY now offers an enhanced, trilingual customer experience through personalised content delivery, which enables the telco to achieve their overarching goal to better service their customers on digital channels.

Boon Keong, head of consulting at GrowthOps, said, “Today, marketers are being tasked with how to create an engaging experience with their customers through seamless design and analytics-driven content personalisation. In this instance, we have been able to help U Mobile to take their digital transformation journey [directly] to their customers.”

Meanwhile, Jasmine Lee, chief digital officer at U Mobile, commented that they believe that the refreshed U.COM.MY will equip them with more insights that will enable them to make more data-led decisions resulting in new digital experiences that benefit their customers.

“U Mobile is always looking at new ways to realise unlimited potential, hence, we are delighted to have partnered with GrowthOps to create and launch an enhanced U.COM.MY. Through this initiative, GrowthOps have shown to have the right capabilities to take our platform to the next level,” Lee said.