COMMENT | Is govt making mistake over second 5G network?

COMMENT | The key considerations for allowing the setting up of a second 5G telecommunications network are whether it will lower costs for users, lead to a cheaper yet more efficient network, and more competition. Nothing else matters much.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Tuesday that 5G coverage reached 80.2 percent on Dec 31, exceeding the 80 percent threshold it set for a decision on whether a second 5G network should be allowed.

While Fahmi is in charge of communications, the new Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo (since Dec 12) is in charge of digital which means Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) now comes under him.

Fahmi in May 2023 announced that the government will allow the setting up of a second 5G network once DNB’s coverage hits 80 percent.

The government must consider this carefully because the ramifications are serious. Let’s look at the issues minus technical jargon. Basically, 5G increases digital communication speeds considerably. Everyone agrees we need it. It’s a question of how to implement it, not whether to do it or not.

The issue of a second operator was...