U Mobile taps ZTE to conduct 5G trials in Malaysia

U Mobile has signed an MoU with ZTE to support its 5G deployment in Malaysia

The agreement will see both parties collaborating on various 5G related developments including live testing, 5G showcases well as implementation of Massive MIMO.

U Mobile CEO Wong Heang Tuck said the operator has a long standing working relationship with ZTE and it is a logical next step for the companies to collaborate on initiatives related to 5G.

“In the near future, we will be working closely with ZTE to conduct live tests in select areas in the KL city, so Malaysians may experience the first-hand power of 5G,” Wong said in a statement.

U Mobile CTO Woon Ooi Yuen added that the operator has been aggressively expanding its 4G LTE networks all across West and East Malaysia in recent months and started plotting its journey towards 5G.

“As part of our 5G roadmap, we will be implementing Massive MIMO in certain areas in the KL City to further enhance customer experience by leveraging the wider bandwidths.”

Steven Ge, managing director of ZTE Malaysia, said the company has 5G end-to-end solution capabilities, adding that the partnership with U Mobile will “turn 5G into a reality in the near future to benefit Malaysians.”

Earlier this week, U Mobile has also formed a strategic partnership with Razer to collaborate in e-payments, e-sports, and 5G testbeds.

Under the partnership, U Mobile and Razer are looking into leveraging e-sports events for 5G testbeds in Malaysia by conducting e-sports-related 5G testbeds and trials in the country.