DNB Wants 5G to Pay Off for Small Businesses, Backed by a RM5.2 Billion Financing Deal

Malaysia's 5G network has spent the past few years being built out. Now Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), the company behind the country's first 5G network, says the focus is shifting to something more down-to-earth: making sure businesses, including small ones, actually get value from it.

Speaking in Kuala Lumpur on 19 October 2026, DNB chief executive Datuk Azman Ismail said the company would work with its mobile network operator shareholders, customers and technology partners to speed up 5G adoption and bring practical solutions to market, according to BernamaBiz. Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil attended the event.

A RM5.2 billion financing milestone

The occasion was a ceremony marking the completion of DNB's RM5.2 billion syndicated Islamic term financing facility. DNB said the facility was completed on 29 September 2026. It refinances a revolving credit facility that had been guaranteed by the government and sets up a longer-term funding structure for future growth.

Azman said the deal strengthens DNB's financial position and keeps its capacity to invest in the network, while supporting its ability to operate independently and with commercial discipline as Malaysia moves to a dual-network 5G model.

Where DNB says 5G should make a difference

Azman said the company will promote practical 5G use across a range of sectors, with opportunities extending to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The sectors he highlighted include:

• Manufacturing and logistics
• Healthcare and education
• Agriculture
• Smart cities

He also said that fast, resilient connectivity is a basic requirement for running data-heavy and AI-powered applications at scale, and that DNB will keep working on network quality, capacity and resilience.

Summing up the company's view, Azman said that for an MSME, the value of 5G has to be tangible, pointing to more efficient operations, better data-driven decisions, lower costs and access to wider markets.

DNB's message is that 5G will be judged less by coverage maps and download speeds and more by whether it helps a small business reach new customers and run more efficiently.

What this means for Malaysian readers

For most small businesses, 5G is still just a faster phone signal. The opportunity is in the use cases that need reliable, low-delay connections: live stock tracking in a warehouse, cameras and sensors on a factory floor, video consultations, or point-of-sale and ordering systems that cannot afford to drop out during a rush.

If you run an SME, a practical next step is to ask your telco what 5G business packages and trial programmes are available in your area, and to list one or two processes where downtime or slow data actually costs you money. Start there, measure the results, and only then think about bigger investments. With DNB and the operators now pushing adoption, there may be more pilot offers and partner solutions coming to market over the next year.

Source: This article is based on reporting by BernamaBiz (Bernama). Read the original: DNB To Accelerate 5G Adoption, Drive Business Gains.