KUALA LUMPUR: CelcomDigi Bhd is partnering with Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and ZTE (Malaysia) Corporation Sdn Bhd for the purchase of network services, solutions and equipment for its nationwide network integration and modernisation project.
This marks one of the largest telecommunications network deployment projects in the country and follows the merger of Celcom and Digi in December 2022.
The company commenced its full-scale programme to build Malaysia’s future digital network recently - integrating and modernising the largest 4G network in the nation with the latest LTE (long-term evolution) and 5G-ready technologies.
"The exercise will entail upgrades and site consolidation of almost 25,000 existing Celcom and Digi sites nationwide. It will involve close to 800 engineers consisting of both skilled local engineers and research and development resources, and more than 250 specialised contractor teams for nationwide installation works, all contributing towards building the nation’s digital ecosystem and economy," CelcomDigi said in a statement today.
Under the various agreements, CelcomDigi will modernise its nationwide Radio Access Network with the latest technologies spanning end-to-end engineering and optimisation services from both Huawei and ZTE.
"This will offer higher throughputs and a wider network coverage for the delivery of an improved user experience with higher reliability, stability, and consistency.
"The technology solutions will leverage CelcomDigi’s existing spectrum and utilise the latest Tri-band Radio Units, Dualband Radio Units and Baseband Radio Units," it said.
It said this would be further complemented by the latest technology that enables lower site footprint, power consumption, and cost efficiency. Both Huawei and ZTE will also manage network densification and site upgrade projects with capacity-enhancing Dual Band Massive MIMO 32T32R technology.
Additionally, CelcomDigi said it would also implement Intelligent Network Monitoring tools to ensure efficient network operations and maintenance, which would enhance its quality of service analysis and further develop a strong dynamic response in managing network alerts.
CelcomDigi chief executive officer Datuk Idham Nawawi said this new network is designed to be able to potentially transition seamlessly into a new 5G network with an 18,000-site reach - the right infrastructure to usher Malaysia into the era of ultra-high speeds, low latency, and the opportunities of a more connected future.
"This is a significant development for CelcomDigi and the industry, and we are excited to be leading the way - now with strategic partners Huawei and ZTE - to realise the potential of our shared digital future,” he added. - Bernama
