Malaysia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 21 Feb 2022 Update History

Report Pages: 133

Analyst: Sebastien De Rosbo

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Malaysia’s overcrowded mobile market to be further rationalised with merger of Digi and Celcom

As part of a diverse range of initiatives designed to move the country from developing to developed status by 2025, Malaysia has enabled and encouraged open competition in its telecommunications market. The result is very high penetration levels in both the mobile (147%) and mobile broadband (127%) segments, and near-universal coverage of 4G LTE networks. The incumbent landline operator Telekom Malaysia retains an almost monopolistic hold on the fixed-line market as well as a significant lead in fixed broadband. But even here, steady growth is occurring as more fibre optic cable networks are being deployed around the country on top of Telekom Malaysia’s national backbone.

Consumers are the main beneficiaries of the highly competitive market. They enjoy widespread access to high-speed mobile services as well as attractive offers on bundles to keep data use up but prices low. The downside is that most of Malaysia’s MNOs and MVNOs have struggled to increase revenue in line with growth in subscriber numbers as well as demand for broadband data. While the operators have been very successful in moving a significant proportion (now over 30%) of customers from prepaid over to higher-value postpaid accounts, ARPU continues to fall year after year as a result of competitive pricing pressures. The mobile market, in particular, has become overcrowded and the government is keen to see further rationalisation and consolidation amongst the operators. To that end, two of the country’s four MNOs – Digi and Celcom – announced plans in November 2021 to merge their Malaysian operations. While customers will no doubt continue to enjoy high quality services at competitive rates, the new entity (to be called Celcom Digi) will be hopeful of squeezing better margins through improved economies of scale.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on the government’s next move to encourage the private mobile operators to sign up to the country’s wholesale 5G network being built by Ericsson for the government-owned and operated Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB). This special-purpose vehicle company was established by the Ministry of Finance to undertake the development and deployment of Malaysia’s 5G infrastructure across the country. The government’s stated intent was to avoid duplication of networks and infrastructure, and thus reduce investment costs for the operators. But with DNB being Malaysia’s single wholesale 5G network provider, the MNOs have been reluctant to commit due to having limited opportunity to differentiate their 5G services and being somewhat at the mercy of the wholesaler’s pricing. To date, no MNO has agreed to the deal and are instead demanding the development of a dual wholesale network model (one that no doubt offers more flexible terms, at least in the eyes of the MNOs). Malaysia’s 5G rollout has, in effect, come to a standstill while the government tries to find a way to restart negotiations.

This report includes the regulator's market data to September 2021, telcos' financial and operating data updates to September 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and other recent market developments.

Key Developments

Malaysia’s MNOs hold off signing up to the government’s wholesale 5G network model.
Digi and Celcom announce plans to merge their Malaysian mobile operations.
The Malaysian government backtracks on its 5G spectrum allocation to Altel, agreeing to revert to an open tender.
Malaysia’s 3G networks are shut down on December 31, 2021, with the spectrum to be reallocated to 4G use.

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Telekom Malaysia, TIME dotCom, Maxis Communications, Celcom Axiata, Digi, U Mobile, Altel.

Key statistics
Regional Asia market comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Country overview
Telecommunications market
Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Universal Service Provision (USP)

Mobile network developments

Mobile Number Portability (NP)
Spectrum

Mobile market

Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

Maxis Communications
Digi Communications
Celcom Axiata
U Mobile
MVNOs

Fixed-line broadband market

Fixed broadband service providers

Telekom Malaysia
Time dotCom

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services

Wi-Fi
WiMAX

Fixed network market

Major network operator

Telekom Malaysia

Telecommunications infrastructure

High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) network
National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP)
International infrastructure

International gateways
Satellite communications
Submarine networks
Submarine system developments

Smart infrastructure

Internet of Things (IoT)
Smart Cities

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Malaysia – 2022 (e)
Table 2 – Change in the number of mobile number portings – 2012 – 2020
Table 3 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 4 – Change in the number of contract and prepaid mobile subscribers and market share – 2012 – 2021
Table 5 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by platform – 2018 – 2021
Table 6 – Decline in SMS traffic – 2012 – 2021
Table 7 – Change in the number of Digi’s LTE subscribers – 2015 – 2020
Table 8 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 9 – Development of Maxis’s financial data (RM million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 10 – Change in the number of Maxis’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 11 – Change in Maxis’s mobile ARPU (RM/month) – 2012 – 2021
Table 12 – Change in the number of Maxis’s wireless broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 13 – Change in the number of Digi’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 14 – Development of Digi’s financial data (RM million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 15 – Change in Digi’s mobile ARPU (RM/month) – 2012 – 2021
Table 16 – Development of Celcom’s financial data (RM million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 17 – Change in the number of Celcom’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 18 – Development of Celcom’s mobile ARPU (RM/month) – 2012 – 2021
Table 19 – Increase in Celcom’s smartphone penetration – 2014 – 2021
Table 20 – Celcom - LTE/LTE-A population coverage – 2014 – 2021
Table 21 – Growth in Celcom’s mobile data use – 2015 – 2021
Table 22 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2027
Table 23 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by data rate – 2019 – 2021
Table 24 – DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 25 – Change in the number of Telekom Malaysia’s fixed broadband subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 26 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 27 – Development of Telekom Malaysia’s financial data (RM billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 28 – Change in Telekom Malaysia’s ARPU by service (RM/month) – 2012 – 2021
Table 29 – Development of Telekom Malaysia’s capex – 2012 – 2021
Table 30 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2012 – 2020
Table 31 – Historic - fixed lines in service and penetration – 1995 – 2006
Table 32 – Historic - mobile subscribers, annual growth and penetration rate – 1996 – 2011
Table 33 – Historic - DSL subscribers – 2001 – 2011
Table 34 – Historic - Internet users and Penetration – 1996 – 2011
Table 35 – Historic - Postpaid and prepaid mobile subscribers and market share – 2002 – 2011
Table 36 – Historic - Celcom mobile subscribers, prepaid and postpaid – 2005 – 2011
Table 37 – Historic - Development of Celcom’s mobile ARPU (RM/month) – 2008 – 2011
Table 38 – Historic - Maxis mobile ARPU (RM/month) – 2007 – 2011
Table 39 – Historic - Telekom Malaysia capex – 2007 – 2011
Table 40 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 1999 – 2011
Table 41 – Historic - Telekom Malaysia - Fixed Broadband Subscribers – 2003 – 2011
Table 42 – Historic - Digi mobile subscribers (million) – 2006 – 2011
Table 43 – Historic - Percentage of households with internet access/computer – 2007 – 2011
Table 44 – Historic - Telekom Malaysia’s fixed-line subscribers – 2007 – 2017

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Asia Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Asia Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 3 – Asia Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 4 – Asia – Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Asia – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – South East Asia – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – South East Asia – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 9 – Change in the number of contract and prepaid mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 10 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by platform – 2018 – 2021
Chart 11 – Decline in SMS traffic – 2012 – 2021
Chart 12 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 13 – Development of Maxis’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 14 – Change in the number of Maxis’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 15 – Change in Maxis’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Chart 16 – Change in the number of Maxis’s wireless broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 17 – Change in the number of Digi’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 18 – Development of Digi’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 19 – Change in Digi’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Chart 20 – Development of Celcom’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 21 – Change in the number of Celcom’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 22 – Development of Celcom’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Chart 23 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2027
Chart 24 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by data rate – 2019 – 2021
Chart 25 – DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Chart 26 – Change in the number of Telekom Malaysia’s fixed broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 27 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 28 – Development of Telekom Malaysia’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 29 – Change in Telekom Malaysia’s ARPU by service – 2012 – 2021
Chart 30 – Development of Telekom Malaysia’s capex – 2012 – 2021

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Asia
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Asia – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Asia – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Asia – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Key international submarine cable systems with landing points in Malaysia

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Malaysia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Malaysia’s overcrowded mobile market to be further rationalised with merger of Digi and Celcom

Key Developments

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Asia market comparison

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Fixed network market

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views