U Mobile has completed the migration of its customers to its own nationwide ULTRA5G network after ending its wholesale access agreement with Digital Nasional Berhad.
The exit took effect on 1 July 2026. U Mobile said the wholesale arrangement had been used to maintain 5G service continuity while it deployed its own network.
Malaysia’s 5G rollout was initially structured around DNB’s Single Wholesale Network model. Under that model, DNB provides a common national 5G network that licensed operators can access on a wholesale basis.
Dual-network context
The migration comes as Malaysia moves from the single wholesale structure toward a dual-network model. Reuters reported that the government announced the change in May 2023, and that U Mobile later secured the contract to deploy the country’s second 5G network.
MCMC said Malaysia’s 5G subscribers rose from 4.6 million in November 2023 to 28.7 million by November 2025.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said DNB had completed 7,489 5G transmitter sites as of 31 July 2025. Those sites provided 82.4% coverage in populated areas, according to figures reported by Bernama.
The DNB figures refer to Malaysia’s earlier wholesale 5G network, not U Mobile’s ULTRA5G network.
Rollout and benchmarks
U Mobile began its 5G rollout in mid-2025. The company said the network has now reached more than 85% Coverage of Populated Areas, or CoPA.
In May 2025, U Mobile said it aimed to reach 80% CoPA within 12 months as part of its transition into a 5G network provider.
The company said in April 2026 that it had reached 80% CoPA in less than nine months. It also said the rollout was recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records as the fastest 5G network rollout in the country.
U Mobile has also referred to Ookla and Opensignal data. The company did not provide detailed scores in the statement announcing the completion of the migration.
Opensignal’s November 2025 Malaysia Mobile Network Experience report said U Mobile won the 5G Availability award with a score of 57.8%. Opensignal defines the metric as the proportion of time users with a 5G device and 5G subscription had a 5G connection.
The same Opensignal report said U Mobile and Unifi Mobile statistically tied for 5G download speed experience. U Mobile recorded 226.6Mbps, while Unifi Mobile recorded 229.5Mbps.
U Mobile has also cited Ookla Speedtest Intelligence data for Q3 and Q4 2025, under which it said it was named Malaysia’s fastest 5G network. The company’s statement did not include the underlying Ookla figures.
U Mobile named Huawei Malaysia and ZTE Malaysia as technology partners for the rollout in April 2025. Reuters reported that Huawei would manage the network rollout in Peninsular Malaysia, while ZTE would oversee East Malaysia.
See also: U Mobile ranked fastest 5G network in Malaysia in late 2025 tests
The company has said its network deployment uses 5G-Advanced-ready equipment. It did not detail the timing or scope of commercial 5G-Advanced services in the migration statement.
Indoor coverage
U Mobile has also expanded in-building coverage as part of its 5G deployment. It said its indoor coverage work includes transport hubs, commercial buildings, retail locations, healthcare facilities, hotels, offices, government buildings, and enterprise sites.
U Mobile said it has deployed more than 190 in-building coverage sites nationwide. The company said it remains on track to expand this to more than 600 sites.
Large buildings can affect signal quality because of walls, building materials, and internal layouts. Ericsson’s Mobility Report cited one dense urban high-rise area where 37% of macro traffic during busy hours was served to indoor users.
The company said its 5G network supports network prioritisation for eligible users during congestion, reserved network capabilities, built-in security features, and future services tied to its 5G Standalone architecture.
U Mobile also referred to future services enabled by its 5G Standalone architecture. Standalone 5G uses a dedicated 5G core, unlike non-standalone 5G networks that depend partly on 4G infrastructure.
3GPP defines network slicing as a logical network designed for specific service or customer requirements. U Mobile did not provide specific launch details for network slicing services in the migration statement.
Financing
U Mobile has secured RM4.3 billion in syndicated financing from CIMB, Maybank, AmBank, and UOB Malaysia. The company said the facility will mainly fund capital expenditure and working capital for the deployment of its 5G network.
The Edge Malaysia reported that the financing has a 10-year tenure. CIMB Investment Bank acted as sole loan coordinator and lead arranger, with financing also provided by CIMB Bank, CIMB Islamic Bank, Maybank Islamic Bank, AmBank Islamic Bank, and UOB Malaysia.
U Mobile described the facility as one of the largest ringgit-denominated syndicated financings undertaken by an unlisted company in Malaysia. The claim is attributable to the company.
U Mobile chief executive officer Wong Heang Tuck said the transition gives the company full control over its network and would allow it to introduce new services for consumers and businesses.
The migration was carried out progressively, according to U Mobile. The company said all customers have now been moved to the ULTRA5G network.
U Mobile said it will continue expanding coverage, improving network quality, and introducing products and services on its 5G network.
Source: https://techwireasia.com/2026/07/u-mobile-ultra5g-network-dnb-exit/
