Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), a Malaysian special-purpose vehicle company owned by the Ministry of Finance Malaysia and Ericsson, a Swedish telecom company, have launched a free online academic program on digital technologies and 5G for all Malaysian post-secondary students. The “MY5G Ericsson Malaysia Pioneers Program” is an initiative aimed at creating a 5G-enabled technology ecosystem in Malaysia.
According to the company, this program is the first customized learning program on 5G and digital technologies that Ericsson has delivered at a national level. To improve digital skills, knowledge, and understanding of emerging technologies, the program will include 42 hours of learning content.
It consists of three modules that concentrate on the specifics of technological functionality and uses for digital services. Students will be required, according to Ericsson, to create a solution from ideation and theoretical prototyping to a fully developed sales pitch for a hypothetical potential consumer.
Ericsson also added that students are also provided with an opportunity to creatively address actual challenges across various Malaysian industries and sectors by researching, evaluating and building AI-powered digital solutions.
According to Ahmad Helmi Bin Azhar, MY5G Ericsson Malaysia Pioneers program director at DNB, the rapidly growing national 5G network will serve as a major equalizer, opening up new employment and digital opportunities in both urban and rural locations and assisting in bridging the digital divide. The only path forward for the nation’s economy is to cultivate talent and elevate their game in terms of creativity and innovation.
“Our education system must be future proof in a way that our schools become the essential incubators where young talent is exposed to future technologies and applications. As we continue to accelerate the deployment of the national 5G network, we are also laying down the foundation for the digital economy and helping drive digital literacy in Malaysia.” said Ahmad Helmi Bin Azhar.
For Ellen Alarilla, sustainability and corporate responsibility program manager for Ericsson in Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, by introducing this course to all tertiary students across the country, they are happy to support the growth of the 5G ecosystem.
“We are pleased to equip the country’s future workforce and leaders with the skills they need to thrive and lead in a 5G-driven economy, while we work hand in hand with DNB to create a world-class 5G infrastructure for Malaysia,” said Alarilla
The Malaysian government established Digital Nasional Berhad as a special-purpose entity with the primary objective of building and operating Malaysia’s 5G network. By the end of 2022, DNB’s 5G network will have 3,900 sites and have over 50% of inhabited areas covered, according to recent announcements. The telco said that it had surpassed its 40% 5G coverage goal for the entire year 2022.
By the end of 2024, 80% of the country’s populated areas would have been reached, according to DNB. When fully completed, the company’s 5G network will have 30 million users, up from the present 15 million.
Last month, Malaysia’s newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim indicated that his administration would consider a proposal under which the previous government agreed to press through with the development of a state-owned 5G network. The lack of transparency, according to the new prime minister, will cause these plans to be amended.
Last year, in what would effectively be a wholesale/MVNO setup, the former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin had presented a plan for a state-owned entity to own all 5G spectrum, with several carriers leveraging the infrastructure to offer mobile services throughout Malaysia.