Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-based operator U Mobile has signed a three year agreement with Nokia to upgrade its LTE networks and expand coverage across Malaysia.
Under the deal, Nokia will deploy its single RAN network, microwave and IP-based mobile transport technologies throughout U Mobile’s LTE networks to expand capacity and help the operator meet rising demand for more data and faster speeds.
Pointing to a report last year from GlobalData, U Mobile said mobile data consumption is expected to have doubled between 2017 and 2022 in Malaysia as more consumers stream online videos on their smartphones in the country.
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U Mobile CTO Woon Ooi Yuen said in a statement the company is “aggressively expanding” its network across Malaysia.
Nokia and U Mobile also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to conduct a live 5G network trial later this year. U Mobile said Nokia’s Single RAN Advanced Network, which is already installed at U Mobile using Nokia's AirScale base stations, is 5G-ready. The trial will be used to demonstrate enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) capabilities and 5G use cases in virtual reality (VR) and eSports.