Dual 5G network: meeting to be held next week

CYBERJAYA: A meeting on the dual 5G network model is expected to be held within the next week, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi said he has asked for the joint task force on 5G to be convened and there will be some discussions on the matter.

“We need to convene the meeting first and appraise the current situation. We expect to have the meeting within the next week,” he told the media after the opening of BlackBerry’s Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (CCoE) by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here, today.

Fahmi said he, along with representatives from the Finance Ministry and Digital Ministry would discuss the dual 5G network.

Fahmi said the Digital Minister oversees the day-to-day aspects of running Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) while the Communications Ministry focuses on the overall landscape related to spectrum, infrastructure, and towers.

On May 3 last year, the government decided to implement a dual 5G network once the current rollout under DNB reached 80 per cent of populated areas.

The decision was aimed at dismantling monopolies and promoting competition.

On January 10, it was reported that the 5G network coverage had achieved 80.2 per cent in populated areas as at Dec 31, 2023, surpassing the target of 80 per cent.

Regarding Blackberry’s CCoE, Fahmi highlighted that enhancing cybersecurity would make a positive contribution to the digital economy.

The CCoE would help realise Malaysia’s target to produce 25,000 cybersecurity professionals, he said.

“Malaysia’s cybersecurity landscape is significantly strengthened not only by training but also through continuous efforts with the latest technologies involving generative AI (artificial intelligence) and predictive AI,” he said.

Fahmi said the CCoE is among the outcomes of an agreement signed in November last year during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in San Francisco.

He said leveraging BlackBerry’s over 35 years of experience, the CCoE is expected to be integrated with universities and institutions to help enhance the country’s readiness to face various cybersecurity challenges.

When asked how many people the CCoE could train each year, Fahmi said the centre is equipped with several curricula and will start with the most basic level.

The CCoE is expected to be able to conduct courses for cybersecurity experts by early next year. – BK