For most of Malaysia's 5G life, there was only one network to argue about. That changed for good on 1 July 2026, when U Mobile formally cut its wholesale ties with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) and moved every one of its customers onto its own network, ULTRA5G.
If your phone still just says "5G" in the status bar, you probably haven't noticed. But which network your SIM sits on now genuinely affects your coverage, your indoor signal, and possibly your next telco switch. Here's what actually happened and what it means for your bill.
From One Network to Two, in Brief
Malaysia ran on a Single Wholesale Network model from the start, with DNB building the infrastructure and every telco buying access wholesale. The government decided in 2023 to switch to a Dual 5G Network model instead, betting that competition between two builders would push coverage and pricing further than one monopoly ever would.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) awarded the second network to U Mobile in late 2024. U Mobile began building from scratch in July 2025, leaning on DNB's network as a temporary backup while its own towers went up.
That backup arrangement ended on 1 July 2026, when U Mobile confirmed it had completed the migration of all customers to its own infrastructure, having passed 85% Coverage of Populated Areas (CoPA) — a rollout speed recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records.
Which Telco Runs on Which Network Right Now
This is the part that actually matters to your phone bill. As of mid-August 2026, here's the split:
| Telco | 5G network |
|---|---|
| Maxis | DNB |
| CelcomDigi | DNB |
| Yes (YTL Communications) | DNB |
| U Mobile | Own network (ULTRA5G) |
| Unifi Mobile (TM) | Migrating from DNB to U Mobile's network |
DNB's remaining shareholders — CelcomDigi, Maxis and YTL — still carry the bulk of Malaysia's 5G traffic, a combined base of roughly 30 million subscribers. After U Mobile's exit, DNB switched on an extra 100MHz of spectrum in the 3.3–3.4GHz band, doubling its contiguous mid-band holding to 200MHz to keep capacity comfortable for the telcos still on board.
Why U Mobile Bailed on DNB
Running as a tenant on someone else's network limits what you can offer. U Mobile's own statements point to control: full ownership lets it prioritise network slices for certain users, roll out perks during congestion, and lean into 5G Standalone features a shared wholesale setup makes harder to customise. The company backed the build with RM4.3 billion in syndicated financing and pushed hard on indoor coverage specifically, with over 190 in-building sites live in malls, transport hubs and offices, aiming for 600-plus.
It's paying off in independent testing, too. Opensignal's Malaysia Mobile Network Experience report, covering April to June 2026, had U Mobile leading on 5G download speed at 280.4Mbps and topping 5G availability at 66.6% — measured just before the DNB exit, while it still had access to both networks. Whether that lead holds now it's running solo is worth watching.
Does the Split Actually Change Anything for You
If you're on Maxis, CelcomDigi or Yes, nothing changes day to day — you're still on DNB, same as before, with a bit more spectrum headroom behind you.
If you're on U Mobile, your traffic moved to ULTRA5G automatically; no SIM swap or setting change was needed. Worth checking is indoor coverage specifically, since that's where U Mobile invested the most this year — malls, MRT stations and office towers are where you're most likely to feel a difference.
The bigger shift is for anyone comparing telcos before a switch. "Best coverage" used to mean one answer for everyone, because everyone shared DNB. Now it depends on where you spend your day, and two networks racing each other generally means faster fixes when a cell site has issues.
One practical note if you do decide to jump ship: number porting and new SIM activation now run through MyDigital ID verification in your telco's app, so have that sorted before you head to a store.
What About Unifi Mobile
TM announced in February 2026 that it would end its own DNB agreement and shift Unifi Mobile's 5G supply to U Mobile instead, under a three-year wholesale deal. TM framed it as supporting its "convergence" push — bundling mobile with its home fibre broadband and TV services. As of mid-August, that migration is still in progress rather than complete, so Unifi Mobile users may currently be on either network depending on where TM is in the rollout.
If you're in an area where neither 5G network reaches reliably — deep rural coverage gaps are still the honest weak point of both — satellite options like Starlink remain the fallback worth knowing about, even if it's overkill for most urban users.
FAQ
Do I need to do anything after U Mobile's DNB exit?
No. If you're a U Mobile customer, your migration to ULTRA5G was handled automatically.
Is DNB shutting down?
No. DNB continues operating as the network for CelcomDigi, Maxis and Yes, and just gained extra spectrum to support them.
Which network has better coverage, DNB or ULTRA5G?
Both claim over 80% population coverage nationally. DNB has been building longer and carries more subscribers; U Mobile has focused heavily on indoor coverage in 2026. Check a coverage map for your own area rather than relying on national averages.
Will switching telcos now get me faster 5G?
Not automatically. Speed depends on congestion, device and location as much as which network you're on. Treat any single Opensignal report as a snapshot, not a permanent verdict.
Does this affect my mobile data pricing?
Not directly. Pricing is set by your telco's plans, not by which wholesale network carries the traffic — though competition between the two may pressure pricing over time.
