Maxis, a leading Malaysian telecommunications provider, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Huawei Technologies to launch a joint innovation center dedicated to 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology. This collaboration aims to advance the development of 5G-A solutions, enhancing customer experiences, operational efficiencies, and various industry applications.

The strategic alliance will focus on expanding mobile network capacities and exploring 5G/5G-A technologies, including mobile edge computing, network slicing, end-to-end network orchestration, RedCap, and Passive-IoT. Additionally, the partnership will delve into digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) to further optimize network performance.

Maxis CEO Goh Seow Eng highlighted the significance of this collaboration in supporting Malaysia’s digital transformation goals. “This partnership is pivotal in maximizing the benefits of 5G-Advanced, fostering innovation, and developing human capital to meet industry demands,” Eng stated.

The joint effort will also include academia-industry engagements, training programs, and R&D projects to ensure Malaysian talent is well-prepared for the evolving tech landscape. Earlier this year, Maxis and Huawei showcased the first 5G-Advanced technology trial in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, featuring live speed tests and demonstrating peak speeds of up to 8Gbps. 5G-Advanced, or “5.5G” as termed by Huawei, is expected to offer up to ten times the improvements in speed, device connectivity, and latency over existing 5G networks.

The trial showcased various applications, including low-latency live streaming of Kuala Lumpur’s city center, immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences, and interactive 3D content. The advanced capabilities of 5G-Advanced are anticipated to support digitalization, automation, and IoT applications across numerous sectors, including high-end manufacturing, automotive, and smart transportation.

In March, Maxis also partnered with Nokia to enhance next-generation connectivity. This collaboration focuses on integrating new technologies to bolster network security and reliability, including quantum-safe optical networking and scalable cloud connectivity solutions. Maxis continues to leverage the state-owned 5G network infrastructure managed by Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) to deliver 5G services in Malaysia.