KUALA LUMPUR: The 5G single wholesale network (SWN) is more than worth exploring for Malaysia as the goal is to have infrastructure stability that mobile network operators (MNOs) can also participate in, according to a telecommunications expert.

       Independent consultant Brett Haan said the SWN or non-auction model was a good innovative solution to look at.

       “In the case of South Africa, SWN has enabled the government to increase the ownership and employment of black-owned enterprises and to increase broadband coverage.

       “The carriers in South Africa then recognised broadband coverage was often a bridge too far for them,” the American, who was in Malaysia for a private working visit, told a media briefing here yesterday.

       Haan, who is a United Nations advisor on 5G strategy and policy, said at one point, these carriers would recommit to buying some of the spectrums in order to make sure the wholesale model network was financially sustainable.

       He noted that besides MNOs’ participation, the SWN model could attract more stakeholders to push for the service sector’s competition and would lead to the sector’s growth.

       Haan pointed out that what was more important now was the implementation of the policy under SWN. He said it was very important for the government to create confidence in implementation by working with MNOs and other stakeholders.

       In December, Communication and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa announced that the government had decided to go with the SWN implementation for 5G rollout in the country, and the deployment would run as planned.

       The government had previously mandated Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), a state-owned company under the Finance Ministry, for the deployment under the SWN model approach.As of December 2021, only Telekom Malaysia Bhd (Unifi Mobile) and YTL Communications Sdn Bhd (YES) had signed up for DNB’s 5G network and fibre leasing service agreement to speed up the deployment across the country. — Bernama