KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 ― Swedish telecommunication giant Ericsson and Intel, one of the world's largest chipmakers, are set to collaborate in Malaysia on the development of 5G use cases that can accelerate the adoption of new technology for enterprises and digitalisation in the country.

The significant move benefitting Malaysia comes after Ericsson chief executive officer (CEO) Börje Ekholm and Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger met at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

They discussed the possibility of further collaboration between Ericsson and Intel in Malaysia to build the 5G ecosystem in the country by developing 5G use cases that will benefit many sectors, Ericsson said in a statement to Bernama today.

"Working together, we will use the speed, resilience, security, and low latency of 5G to accelerate Malaysia’s transformation to a digital economy,” said Ekholm.

The benefits of digitalisation for emerging economies are compelling, said Ekholm, adding that Malaysia made a bold move by commissioning a nationwide 5G network.

"That strategic move is paying off. The country will soon have achieved one of the fastest 5G rollouts in the world, enabling everyone to enjoy the benefits of a digital economy even quicker than envisaged,” he said.

Ekholm said that 5G is a platform for limitless innovation, capable of driving exponential positive impact on society.

The accelerated rollout of Malaysia’s 5G network by Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) in partnership with Ericsson, he said, is designed to deliver a world-class experience for users.

"The rapid deployment of the DNB network means more opportunities for education, skills development, employment, and economic growth.”

During the Davos meeting, they also discussed the ongoing collaboration between both companies on 5G, the benefits of digitalisation for emerging economies and the role connectivity can play in building sustainable and resilient digital economies.

"Many new consumer applications like cloud gaming, plus enterprise services including new use cases for the digitalisation of multiple industries, are already creating huge business opportunities.

"We are working with Intel to enable these capabilities through different 5G use cases across the globe,” said Ekholm.

Commenting on the meeting, Gelsinger said he fully agreed on the benefits of digitalisation and world-class 5G networks.

"They have the ability to positively impact the way we work, learn, connect, develop, and operate ― not to mention being critical for building sustainable and resilient economies,” said Gelsinger.

"The rollout of the nationwide 5G network in Malaysia and buildout of the 5G ecosystem to support it will help usher in a new era of innovation for the region and accelerate its transformation to a digital economy,” the Intel CEO said.

Intel has been in Malaysia for 50 years and is currently expanding its presence by building a large manufacturing plant in the country. ― Bernama