{{short description|Malaysian special-purpose vehicle company}} {{Cleanup-PR|1=article|date=November 2021}} {{Infobox company | name = Digital Nasional Berhad | logo = Digital Nasional Berhad logo.svg | industry = [[Telecommunications]] | founded = {{Start date and age|2017|02|23|df=yes}} | founder = [[Johari Abdul Ghani]] | hq_location = Level 12, Exchange 106 Lingkaran TRX, Tun Razak Exchange | hq_location_city = 55188 [[Kuala Lumpur]] | hq_location_country = Malaysia | owners = {{plainlist| * [[CelcomDigi]] (33.3%) * [[YTL Corporation|YTL]] (33.3%) * [[Maxis Communications|Maxis]] (33.3%) }} | website = {{URL|https://www.digital-nasional.com.my/}} }} '''Digital Nasional Berhad''' ('''DNB'''; [[English language|English]]: ''National Digital Limited'') is a Malaysian [[Special-purpose entity|special-purpose vehicle]] company which is owned by [[CelcomDigi]], [[Maxis Communications|Maxis]], and [[YTL Corporation|YTL]] and is regulated by the [[Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission]]. DNB was established in early March 2021 by the [[Government of Malaysia|Malaysian Government]] to drive the development of the [[5G]] (fifth-generation) infrastructure in [[Malaysia]]. It now serves both [[CelcomDigi]], [[Maxis Communications|Maxis]] and [[YTL Corporation|YTL]]'s 5G users along with selling wholesale access to other [[Telecommunications|telecommunication]] companies.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-09|title=RM15b 5G infrastructure cost to be borne by private sector, says MoF|url=http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/rm15b-5g-infrastructure-cost-be-borne-private-sector-says-mof|access-date=2021-10-29|website=The Edge Markets}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bringing 5G to the Country |url=http://www.digital-nasional.com.my/interactive-map |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=Digital Nasional Berhad}}</ref>
The first rollout of the 5G services in Malaysia was launched on 15 December 2021, with [[Telekom Malaysia|TM]] and [[YTL Corporation|YTL]] as its operators upon rollout.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wong|first=Alexander|title=DNB provides free 5G access to telcos in Malaysia until 31st March 2022|url=https://soyacincau.com/2021/12/06/dnb-5g-network-ready-free-access-to-telcos-mno-31-march-2022/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=SoyaCincau|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Shazni|last=Ong|date=2021-12-15|title=TM, YTL first operators to offer 5G access in Malaysia as DNB's 5G goes live|url=http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/dnb-offering-wholesale-5g-services-free-all-mnos-integrated-its-network-until-march-31-2022|access-date=2021-12-16|website=The Edge Markets}}</ref>
On October 7, 2022, four major [[Telephone company|telcos]] took up 65% in shares of DNB, with the remaining 35% held by the government with a golden share. The four major telcos with their respective stakes in DNB were TM (20%), YTL (20%), [[CelcomDigi|Digi]] (12.5%), and [[Celcom]] (12.5%),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Four major telcos take up equity stakes in DNB |url=https://www.thevibes.com/articles/business/73625/four-major-telcos-take-up-equity-stakes-in-dnb}}</ref> which was subsequently merged with Digi to form [[CelcomDigi]] on 1 December 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic merger marks new chapter in Malaysia’s digitalisation journey - Telenor Group |url=https://www.telenor.com/media/newsroom/announcement/historic-merger-marks-new-chapter-in-malaysias-digitalisation-journey-we-are-in-pole-position/ |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=www.telenor.com |language=no}}</ref>
On August 23, 2024, DNB issued a termination notice to [[Telekom Malaysia|TM]] regarding its Share Subscription Agreement (SSA). The deal was cancelled because TM failed to obtain shareholder approval by the August 21 deadline. Consequently, [[Telekom Malaysia|TM]] did not become an equity partner in DNB at that time. Despite the termination of the equity deal, [[Telekom Malaysia|TM]] clarified that its 5G wholesale agreement with DNB remained intact, ensuring no disruption to 5G services for Unifi Mobile customers. This exit left [[CelcomDigi]], [[Maxis Communications|Maxis]], [[U Mobile]], and [[YTL Corporation|YTL]] as the four remaining mobile network operators (MNOs) holding equity in DNB during that period.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DNB Cancels Equity Deal With TM|url=https://www.lowyat.net/2024/330383/dnb-cancels-equity-deal-with-tm|access-date=2024-08-04|website=lowyat.net}}</ref>
On May 14, 2025, [[U Mobile]] exited its shareholding in DNB to focus on its role as the operator of Malaysia's second 5G network. [[U Mobile]] sold its entire stake of 100,000 shares for a nominal sum of RM100,000. These shares were distributed among the remaining stakeholders: [[CelcomDigi]], [[Maxis Communications|Maxis]], and [[YTL Corporation|YTL]] each acquired 33,333 shares, while the Ministry of Finance (MOF) acquired the final remaining share.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Before second 5G roll out, U Mobile sells stake in DNB for RM100,000|url=https://soyacincau.com/2025/05/14/u-mobile-5g-sell-dnb-stake-rm100000-celcomdigi-maxis-ytl|access-date=2025-05-14|website=soyacincau}}</ref>
On March 6, 2026, Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) moved toward full privatization as major telecommunications operators [[CelcomDigi]], [[YTL Corporation|YTL]] and [[Maxis Communications|Maxis]] completed the acquisition of the Malaysian Ministry of Finance's (MOF) remaining stake. All Three telcos paid approximately RM327.9 million (US$82.7 million) each to exercise a put option issued by the MOF. This followed the exit of [[U Mobile]] from DNB's shareholder structure to lead Malaysia's second 5G network. The transaction effectively transferred the government’s ownership and DNB's debt load to the remaining private mobile network operators (MNOs).<ref>{{Cite web |title=CelcomDigi, Maxis acquire Malaysian government stake in DNB|url=https://www.lightreading.com/finance/celcomdigi-maxis-acquire-malaysian-government-stake-in-dnb|access-date=2026-03-09|website=lightreading}}</ref>
== Deployment of 5G == DNB had announced that it would launch and rollout the country's first 5G network with a total of 500 sites in areas within [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Putrajaya]] and [[Cyberjaya]] by the end of December 2021 which is expected provide about 10% population coverage.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-12-03|title=DNB to minimise 5G rollout complexity|url=http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/dnb-minimise-5g-rollout-complexity|access-date=2021-12-06|website=The Edge Markets|archive-date=2021-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206145202/https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/dnb-minimise-5g-rollout-complexity|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Government of Malaysia|Malaysian government]] had also appointed [[Ericsson]] as the sole network equipment provider at a cost of RM4 billion as well as to build the infrastructure estimated at a cost of RM11 billion.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 16, 2021|title=Trillions at stake if 5G company fails, warns Najib|work=Free Malaysia Today|url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/10/16/trillions-at-stake-if-5g-company-fails-warns-najib/}}</ref>
Digital Nasional chief executive officer, Augustus Ralph Marshall, said that the country's first 5G [[Cell site|base station]] installation at [[Bukit Tunku]] has been powered on which aims to deliver 500 5G-enabled sites in Kuala Lumpur, Cyberjaya and Putrajaya upon rollout.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wong|first=Alexander|title=DNB promises to deliver 500 5G sites by end-2021, 100Mbps at weakest coverage point|url=https://soyacincau.com/2021/10/23/dnb-5g-malaysia-100mbps-speed-total-cost-16-5-billion-500-sites-end-2021/|access-date=2021-10-29|website=SoyaCincau|language=en-US}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+Frequencies used on DNB network in Malaysia |- ! Band !! Frequency !! Frequency width !! Protocol !! Notes
|- | 28 || 700 MHz (703-723, 758-778)||2 x 20 MHz | [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]]/[[5G NR]] DSS||LTE for NSA 5G anchor
|- | 78 || 3.5 GHz (3300~3400 MHz) (3400~3500 MHz) || 200 MHz || [[5G NR]] ||
|- | 257 || 28 GHz || No major live deployment|| [[5G NR]] || Govt assigned 1600 MHz to DNB
|}
It has also planned to deploy 5G in major cities and districts in [[Johor]], [[Penang]], [[Selangor]] and [[Sabah]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-22|title=MOF says no need to sell stake in Digital Nasional to finance 5G rollout as no govt funding involved|url=http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/mof-says-no-need-sell-stake-digital-nasional-finance-5g-rollout-government-funding-not|access-date=2021-10-29|website=The Edge Markets}}</ref> As at May 31, 2023, the rollout of the 5G network had achieved 62.1% coverage of populated areas involving 5,058 5G sites, with the aim of achieving 80% coverage of populated areas nationwide by the end year 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fahmi: Malaysia’s 5G coverage now at 62.1% |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2023/06/07/fahmi-malaysias-5g-coverage-now-at-621 |access-date=2023-10-03 |website=The Star |language=en}}</ref> On 17 December 2024, it was reported that the 5G adoption rate has reached 52% nationwide as compared to 10.8% in October 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 December 2024 |title=Over 52% of users now having access to 5G network - Fahmi |url=https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/over-52-of-users-now-having-access-to-5g-network-fahmi-IE13429463 |access-date=18 December 2024 |website=thestar.com.my}}</ref>
== Contract Disputes == In early 2026, a significant contractual dispute emerged between [[Telekom Malaysia|TM]] and DNB regarding the early termination of their 5G Wholesale Network Access Agreement. On February 25, 2026, [[Telekom Malaysia|TM]] announced it had signed a three-year wholesale contract with [[U Mobile]] to utilize Malaysia’s second 5G network, citing its contractual right to exit the DNB agreement once a second provider became commercially available. However, on March 3, 2026, DNB formally rejected TM's termination notice, asserting that TM had failed to meet the specific "long-term arrangement" conditions required for an early exit. DNB maintains that the original agreement remains valid and enforceable until October 2032. While the Malaysian government has categorized the disagreement as a commercial matter to be resolved between the two licensees, TM has upheld its decision following a legal review, and both parties have committed to ensuring no service disruption for Unifi Mobile users during the resolution process.
== Criticisms == DNB faces criticism from a number of individuals. These individuals want the government to also allow a competing provider, if not switch to a telco alliance-based deployment model as used in Singapore, a sentiment shared by a number of telcos operating in the country.<ref>{{cite web |date=2021-12-15 |title=Malaysian cellcos call for second 5G wholesale operator as DNB switches on its first sites |url=https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2021/12/15/malaysian-cellcos-call-for-second-5g-wholesale-operator-as-dnb-switches-on-its-first-sites/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211215123128/https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2021/12/15/malaysian-cellcos-call-for-second-5g-wholesale-operator-as-dnb-switches-on-its-first-sites/ |archive-date=2021-12-15 |access-date=2021-12-15 |publisher=TeleGeography}}</ref> Initially, only two companies- YTL's YES and TM's UniFi Mobile- have agreed to the DNB's term, while the others have publicly protested the plan. Additionally, the network will not allow all 5G phones and will only allow connection from "tested and authorized" handsets{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}. This has raised concerns with early adopters of 5G phones as the network is, as of 2023, blocking all Sony handsets as well as older Asus, Samsung and iPhone 5G handsets, as well as lesser known handsets like the TickTock from Unihertz, but on the other hand most Chinese-made phones like Oppo, ZTE and Huawei are allowed onto the network unimpeded.
In December 2022, newly appointed Malaysian Prime Minister [[Anwar Ibrahim]] said his administration would review the plan for DNB's 5G network introduced by his predecessor,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Latiff |first=Rozanna |date=2022-12-06 |title=New PM Anwar says Malaysia to review plans for 5G network |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/malaysia-review-5g-plans-pm-anwar-2022-12-05/ |access-date=2022-12-08}}</ref> and on September 27, 2023, he said that the government would allow a second 5G network and shift from a Single Wholesale Network to a Dual Network model to break the monopoly held by DNB.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-09-27 |title=Malaysia's switch to dual 5G network can allow participation of China's Huawei, prime minister says |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/malaysias-switch-dual-5g-network-can-allow-participation-chinas-huawei-pm-2023-09-27/ |access-date=2023-10-03}}</ref>
As of 2024, the company has relaxed its stance on approved devices and began allowing more 5G devices onto the network. Additionally, all telcos are now on board after the government announced that telcos are now allowed to buy a stake in the company. However, the plan for a second 5G network is still on the table.
== References == <references />
== External links == * {{Official website|www.digital-nasional.com.my}}
[[Category:2021 establishments in Malaysia]] [[Category:Government-owned companies of Malaysia]] [[Category:Economy of Malaysia]]