Source: Bernama
You might be one of many wondering if it's time to get 5G. If nothing else, a large part of the country is set to be covered by the end of the year. The latest KKD report confirms we're getting close to the 80% target.
In July, the Communications and Digital Ministry (KKD) announced that roughly 64.7% of populated areas in Malaysia had 5G coverage. That percentage has gone up in the ensuing weeks, albeit at what seems like a slow pace. According to KKD's minister Fahmi Fadzil, an estimated 70.2% of populated areas in our country are now covered by 5G. Assuming it continues at this pace, we should hit 80% by the end of 2023.
However, the high coverage hasn't resulted in more 5G users. The minister said that the adoption rate of 5G is only at 7.4% of our population as of the end of August 2023, equivalent to 2.49 million Malaysians. There are two reasons for the low adoption rate of 5G. Fahmi suggests that one of them is the price of 5G-capable devices relative to the buying power of the average Malaysian.
In our opinion, the cost of 5G services also plays a part. Some 5G services, especially postpaid plans, require an extra fee on top of the existing monthly rate. That's not something that many are willing to accept. Moreover, 4G is fast enough for most Malaysians, so there's no urgent need for 5G access. Ultimately, 5G needs relevant use cases to incentivise 5G adoption.
Have you bought a 5G smartphone and adopted 5G yet? If so, how's your experience with it so far? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on local 5G news.
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