Malaysian telco U Mobile revealed on Monday it has signed a strategic collaboration deal with the Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) that will see U Mobile leverage its newly launched 5G network to help accelerate digitalisation of Malaysia’s retail sector.

As a corporate patron of MRCA for the 2025/2026 term, U Mobile said it will develop smart retail solutions such as cashless payment systems and smart inventory management for the MRCA’s members.

U Mobile chief sales officer Alex Tan said that over 600 retail brands and 40,000 outlets will benefit from the telco’s Ultra5G network, which was officially launched last week at Berjaya Times Square and as Penang Bridge 1.

“We believe U Mobile is in best position to support retail sector to enhance their efficiency, customer experience and competitiveness as we aim to deliver the widest and deepest 5G coverage in Malaysia by prioritising indoor as well as outdoor coverage,” Tan said.

Rival telco Maxis signed a similar deal with the MRCA in October last year, in which both agreed to collaborate on driving adoption of 5G in Malaysia’s retail sector for digital solutions such as  retail analytics, AI-powered computer vision, managed network services, XR experiences and supply chain enhancements.