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.
Table of Contents
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
Fixed network market
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