Agreements for equity stakes in DNB now expected to be complete by end-2023

An agreement regarding equity participation in Malaysia’s wholesale 5G operator Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) by local mobile network operators (MNOs) is now expected to be concluded by the end of this year. Although it had previously been suggested that equity deals could be finalised this month, Malaysian communications minister Fahmi Fadzil was cited by local press outlet Malay Mail as saying that delays to the process have come about due to a need to review some of the details of the proposed share subscription agreements (SSAs).

Commenting on the matter, Fahmi said: ‘I had hoped that it could be done within the month of October but there is a slight delay because there are some details that we have to review … There are some things that have been discussed, and there were some proposals, counter-proposals, some discussions, some analysis that needed to be done, some assessments from the technical point of view, and from the financial aspect.’

As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate back in July the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s ‘5G Task Force’ reached an agreement regarding equity participation in DNB with five of the country’s major MNOs. At that date it was noted that CelcomDigi, Maxis, Telekom Malaysia, U Mobile and YTL Communications were all in the process of finalising their respective shareholdings in DNB, but details of exactly what stakes each would take were not revealed, and still remain unconfirmed.