5G roll-out for Malaysian public, not for telcos to make even more profits

I'm actually a bit uncomfortable with the hate directed at the government's decision to employ its special purpose vehicle Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) to handle Malaysia's 5G roll-out.

I believe that the explanation by Finance Minister Zafrul on the matter in Dewan Rakyat yesterday was good enough,

Zafrul expects public to benefit from proposed DNB-telcos deal 

excerpts;

He told the Dewan Rakyat today that was so because the government’s special purpose vehicle (SPV) on the 5G roll-out, Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) will charge telecommunication companies (telcos) less than 20 sen per gigabyte for it.

He pointed out that the cost of producing a gigabyte under the telcos’ current 4G network is around 45 to 55 sen per gigabyte.

He estimated that the telcos will have to pay between RM3.5 billion and RM4 billion to DNB over a period of 10 years, which according to him would be cheaper then them developing their own 5G network infrastructure.

He said the telcos would need to spend up to RM1 billion per year if they are to invest in setting up their own 5G network.

Good what that with the deal we can get to use our phones and other gadgets at a cheaper cost.

I don't know how DNB is going to make it so much cheaper than if the whole thing be given to the telcos but Zafrul has put himself on the line by saying that.

It more or less means that the government has committed itself to keep the cost low. 

If it turns out to be just bullshit later, we can always fry Zafrul and the gang.

Anyway, why didn't the telcos counter whatever the DNB is selling to the public on the project by maybe arguing that they could offer an even better deal?

Why did their proposed 5G roll-out plan costs so much more than DNB's?

Was it to make the public continue to pay a lot more for their services?

As far as I'm concerned, as long as what is being done benefits the public, I have no problem with it.

I couldn't care less whether the telcos make more profits or otherwise.

Anyway, I have been told that some people are lobbying for the government to set up another entity to compete with DNB on the 5G project so that it wouldn't be a monopolistic venture controlled by cronies.

Well, if the government wants to consider that, then it must make sure the other proposed entity care to compete in the rural areas unlike the telcos, which have always been competing exclusively for the market in urban areas where the profits were.

Seriously, I'm of the opinion that our telcos, which were among the most profitable in the world only care about their profits.

Otherwise, how can anyone explain this;

Reports put Malaysia's 4G speeds at global bottom tier 

excerpts;

Among 100 countries, Malaysia ranked lower than Asean neighbours Vietnam, Thailand, and even poverty-stricken Laos when it came to “Best Mobile Experience” related to 4G LTE wireless broadband speeds, based on global independent data company Tutela’s report in September 2020.

The Tutela report titled “Global Mobile Experience: Country-level Comparison”, ranked Malaysia at 81, three notches below Indonesia’s 78.

Laos is number 75 on the ranking, below Thailand’s 74 and Vietnam’s 50. Meanwhile, Singapore is among the best 20 in the world at the 17th spot.

Yup, they gave us crap services yet make themselves lots of profits.

Kids in the villages have to climb trees to get connectivity for their online classes,  okay.

What's the point then with all the talk of the telcos going against monopoly while the public is getting a lousy deal despite  their supposed competition?

Honestly, I think that our telcos are just competing to make more profits for themselves at the expense of we all Malaysians and nothing else.

Unless they could offer something better to the public compared to what Zafrul had said about the DNB deal, I would like to suggest for them and their lobby group to just shut up about the 5G roll-out.