An economic assessment of Malaysia’s 5G plan

Malaysia has made a bold decision to implement a government-owned Single Wholesale Network (SWN). However, national SWNs have a poor track record of successful implementation in other countries2 (including Mexico’s SWN recent filing for bankruptcy protection in July 20213). Lessons learned elsewhere suggest a number of serious risks for the current 5G plan in Malaysia. Without clear mitigation strategies, Malaysia’s vision to become a regional leader in the digital economy is under threat. This report highlights these risks and offers guidance on how they can be addressed.