U Mobile lands MVNO Eastel as first 5G/4G wholesale customer

Details: John Tanner; Category: Operators; 14 October 2025; 7164 views

Malaysian 5G telco U Mobile announced on Monday that Eastel, a new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) from Anchor Communications, has signed a deal to be its first 5G and 4G wholesale access customer.

Under the five-year contract, Eastel will launch data, voice and SMS services using U Mobile’s 5G infrastructure and 4G network. U Mobile will also provide Eastel with support for IDD, roaming and mobile number portability services.

Eastel plans to launch its MVNO service in the first quarter of 2026, delivering targeted mobile services and solutions tailored for Malaysia’s gig and creator economy, said Aaron Lee, executive director of Anchor Communications.

“By leveraging U Mobile’s ultra-fast 5G and 4G network, we aim to support more niche and customisable data-intensive applications for the community,” Lee said in a statement.

U Mobile deputy CEO Kenneth Chang said the Eastel deal would be the first of many in the coming months.

“This latest partnership marks the start of more 5G wholesale agreements to come, especially since our 5G network expansion will reach 80% [coverage of populated areas in Malaysia] by the second half of next year,” he said in a statement.

Malaysia’s Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said in a post on social media site X on Monday that U Mobile’s 5G network already covers 54.9% of populated areas in Malaysia. In specific areas, that number is even higher, with U Mobile achieving 99.7% 5G coverage in Putrajaya, 90.9% in Kuala Lumpur, 90.8% in Labuan, 82.3% in Pulau Pinang and 70.9% in Selangor, Fahmi said.

U Mobile was chosen by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to be Malaysia’s second 5G wholesale operator in November 2024 to compete with Digital Nasional Berhad, and received the official green light in March this year. U Mobile launched its Ultra5G service in August, with an emphasis on providing superior indoor coverage.