Malaysia Enters Second Phase Of 5G Broadcast Development

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has entered the second phase of 5G broadcasting development to determine the future direction of the technology, following two years of research and industry engagement during the first phase.

Group Lead of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) 5G Broadcast Test Bed, Mohamad Hafizal Mohamed Ariffin, said this stage aims to prove whether the concept of one-way broadcasting over a 5G network can be practically implemented.

Mohamad Hafizal, who is also Broadcast Engineering Manager at Alhijrah Media Corporation, said while the technology is still in the testing stage and the device ecosystem and transmitters are not yet fully ready, initial trials have shown strong potential for future deployment.

“The main challenge lies in system readiness, from transmitters to device chips and connection stability. But in theory, the technology works and can be implemented,” he told Bernama on the sidelines of the 5G Broadcasting Conference organised by MCMC here today.

5G Broadcast technology is the latest evolution in telecommunications, allowing content to be transmitted directly to mobile devices without relying on traditional internet connections.

Unlike conventional mobile networks that rely on two-way communication, 5G Broadcast enables simultaneous one-to-many transmission with high quality and wider coverage using the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) spectrum typically allocated for terrestrial television.

On technical limitations, Mohamad Hafizal said trials were carried out with several commercial devices currently available in the market, such as the Xiaomi 12 and OnePlus 10 Pro, but the results have (so far) been inconsistent.

“Issues such as broadcast delays, freezing and unstable connections remain key concerns.

“We know that certain device chips support 5G Broadcast, but there is no official confirmation from manufacturers. During tests, sometimes it works well, and sometimes it becomes unstable,” he said.

Earlier, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the government has begun exploring the potential of 5G Broadcast to complement the nation’s broadcasting delivery methods.

Today’s 5G Broadcasting Conference serves as a key platform to showcase simulations, findings and technology demonstrations from the test-bed sessions.

The one-day event also provides opportunities for industry collaboration, technical knowledge sharing and strategic discussions among MCMC, broadcasters, industry players and stakeholders to assess market readiness and explore the application of 5G Broadcast at the national and ASEAN levels.

The initiative is expected to bring significant benefits to broadcasters, policymakers and industry players, while serving as an important benchmark for developing a proof-of-concept (PoC) for the technology.

Malaysia is currently at the forefront in the ASEAN region in exploring 5G broadcasting technology.

-- BERNAMA