The average 5G download speed operated by Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) exceeded 218 Mbps, and the second network operated by U Mobile Sdn Bhd (U Mobile) exceeded 315 Mbps as of Nov 30, 2025.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said that the performance by both networks was consistent with the target under the Jendela Plan, which sets 100Mbps at the cell edge despite the number of 5G users having increased six-fold in two years.
"As for upload speeds, the average recorded was about 34 Mbps for the first network and 50 Mbps for the second network, reflecting a significant improvement in terms of network reliability and capability.
"This performance is in line with the 5G network design target under the Jedela Plan, which is 100 Mbps at the cell edge," Fahmi said in a written parliamentary reply last night.
However, the hike in users has contributed to its performance as the national 5G network coverage reached 82.4 per cent coverage in populated areas, while the 5G adoption rate has hit 84 per cent.
Fahmi was responding to Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) on the government's measures to address the significant decline in Malaysia's 5G speeds over the past three years, as reported by internet testing company Ookla, including efforts to eliminate coverage gaps, accelerate the rollout of the second 5G network and improve user experience.
Ookla in December last year reported that Malaysia's median 5G download speed has dropped by 46 per cent, from 451.79 Mbps in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 242.92 Mbps in the third quarter of 2025.
The median 5G upload speed reported by Ookla has also declined by 41 per cent from 49.87Mbps in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 29.52Mbps in the third quarter of 2025.
Fahmi said that the large-scale growth in users has affected average and median speeds, particularly as the network expands into new areas, including rural and low-density locations.
"This expansion in coverage has been accompanied by a sharp increase in users, with 5G subscriptions rising from 4.6 million in November 2023 to 17.7 million in November 2024, and further to 28.7 million in November 2025, nearly a sixfold increase within two years," he said.
The government has also transitioned to a Dual 5G Network model, with the rollout of the second 5G network by U Mobile commencing on July 14, 2025.
He said that a total of 3,700 sites have been upgraded to support 5G coverage, providing 61.3 per cent coverage in populated areas, with average download speeds recorded at around 203 Mbps.
All these sites will begin operations in phases according to location, in line with the planned operational implementation schedule, Fahmi added.
