Malaysian 5G network provider U Mobile announced on Friday it has signed an MoU with China Unicom Operations Malaysia (CUMY) to develop IoT, smart mobility and sustainable technology solutions, with the additional goal of strengthening economic ties between Malaysia and China.
Under the MoU – signed at last week’s Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona – the two companies plan to develop enterprise solutions for Internet of Vehicles (IOV) use cases that involve integrating IoT ecosystems into transport and urban infrastructure that plays a role in smart-city development.
The MoU also includes a component designed to encourage cross-border investment between Malaysia and China.
Under that provision, U Mobile and CUMY will develop a seamless dual-SIM number service tailored for China-based customers and businesses operating in Malaysia and vice versa.
U Mobile and CUMY will also co-develop end-to-end digital solutions tailored for key industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and oil & gas. The two companies also agreed to explore wholesale data services such as dedicated Access Point Name (APN) solutions and customised data pooling, as well as provision of 5G private networks for enterprises.
The two companies also agreed to work together to establish forums and technical exchanges on IoT applications, share best practices for solutions in AI, AR/VR, big data and integrating sustainability principles into technology and connectivity initiatives.
U Mobile notes that bilateral trade between China and Malaysia reached nearly US$98 billion between January to November 2024, matching the total trade volume for all of 2023.
U Mobile CIO Neil Tomkinson said that the CUMY partnership will be a key enabler of Malaysia’s ambition to become a “high-income digital nation” by “accelerating digital transformation for enterprises and improving the connectivity experiences of China businesses in Malaysia, creating a robust environment to attract further investment into the country.”
“By combining our extensive experience in 5G, IoT, and AI across various industries with U Mobile’s local 5G development strategy, I believe we will jointly drive the digital transformation of Malaysian enterprises and provide superior connectivity services to facilitate collaboration and exchanges between China and Malaysia,” said Li Zehui, General Manager of CUMY.
