This article appeared in The Star on 14 September 2022.

Celcom has begun testing their 5G network offering with what the telco is calling a Friendly User Trial (FUT), which will give selected customers access to 5G at various locations throughout Malaysia.

According to the FAQ on their website, Celcom says that users chosen for the trial will be informed via an SMS notification that they have received 5G provisioning.

Once they get the notification, users should automatically gain access to 5G services and see the 5G icon in the status bar on the top right of their phone screens, however they will need to also note that coverage is currently only limited to certain areas.

For those who still do not have 5G access despite having received the SMS notification, they should first make sure that they are in one of the coverage areas below.

Rawang

Selayang

Kepong

Sentul

Setapak

Mont Kiara

Chow Kit

KLCC

Bangsar

Cheras

Kuchai Lama

Bukit Jalil

Putrajaya

Johor Bahru

Penang

For more details on the active 5G sites, users can check the interactive coverage map on the Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) website. A list of compatible devices is also included on the page.

Should the issue persist, Celcom recommends checking the mobile network settings in the device and making sure to select the “5G/LTE/3G/2G (Auto Connect)” option. Should this not resolve the issue, users may report the problem via an online complaint form.

During the trial period, all 5G data use will be free of charge until further notice, with usage not counting towards any existing quotas in a customer’s data plan. Currently, no end date for the trials has been shared by Celcom.

The FUT will also offer 5G roaming in 15 countries with various local telcos, with Celcom saying that more will be added soon. Those who want to use the 5G roaming service will need to subscribe separately to a Celcom Passport plan.

Those interested can check for the full list of network operators that support 5G roaming on the Celcom website.