SEPANG, Sept 5 — Malaysia’s transition to 5G technology is set to mature in 10 to 15 years, said Universiti Teknologi Malaysia lecturer Azizul Azizan.
He said various factors contribute to the maturity process, including the manufacturing and production ecosystem of equipment related to 5G technology and public acceptance.
“The transition will only occur if people buy and use (5G) equipment at home or work. As long as the equipment is in the workplace or there is no 5G, we will not utilise 100 per cent of the technology’s capabilities,” he said.
He told Bernama this yesterday on the sidelines of Research Symposium 2024, which was organised by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) here.
Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching on July 3 reportedly said 5G coverage in populated areas nationwide has reached 81.7 per cent, following the completion of 7,114 5G sites.
She said 5G networks are concentrated in urban areas with high economic activity, while expansion to other areas, including rural ones, will continue.
Meanwhile, Azizul said China is “dominating” the widespread adoption of 5G, ahead of Europe and the United States.
He explained this was due to the stimulation of the smart device production ecosystem, including in the semiconductor sector of the country.
“... We need to realise that 5G is currently focused on the industrial sector, equipment, robots and so on, and not like 3G or 4G, whose target focus is only on humans and not objects.
“It’s just that the study on 6G (globally) has begun, so I think we may not have time to fully utilise 5G (in Malaysia) before we move to 6G,” he said.
The Faculty of Artificial Intelligence lecturer explained that network providers also have a significant responsibility to address 5G transition issues so the capabilities of the technology can be fully utilised, in line with the government’s intention to drive the country’s digital transformation.
“Not all technology is perfect, so network providers need to always be sensitive to the needs of consumers,” he said.
— Bernama
