Telecom operators in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region are projected to invest $259 billion in network infrastructure from 2023 to 2030, with the majority of this investment directed towards fifth-generation or 5G deployments, according to the Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2023 report by GSMA.
GSMA stated that the exponential growth in data traffic on telecom networks is driven by the increasing number of people benefiting from broadband connectivity and the rising demand for data-intensive digital content.
The report highlighted that 5G technology is expected to contribute significantly to the Asia Pacific economy, with an estimated benefit of $133 billion by 2030, comprising more than 13% of the overall economic impact of mobile technology. These benefits are anticipated to materialize progressively over the years leading up to 2030.
GSMA mentioned that the APAC region is expected to have approximately 1.4 billion 5G connections by the end of 2030, representing around 41% of the total mobile connections in the region.
In Southeast Asia, Malaysia is establishing itself as one of the global leaders in 5G connectivity through its high-speed networks.
The recently published report by OpenSignal reveals that Malaysia has made substantial improvements in its 5G network experience. With an increasing number of 5G deployments and upgrades, the country has witnessed a surge in average 5G download speeds and lower latency.
Malaysia was ranked 4th in the average 5G download speed at 322.7Mbps and ranked third in the average 5G upload speed at 41.5Mbps. The Southeast Asian nation was also ranked second in the 4G to 5G improvement (ratio) in download speed at 14.4x.
One of the key achievements of Malaysia’s 5G rollout is its potential to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas. By extending high-speed connectivity to underserved regions, the government aims to ensure equal access to digital opportunities for all Malaysians.
