CelcomDigi said the collaboration with SoftBank and SC-NEX will leverage on the expertise of both firms on AI, robotics and analytic solutions
Malaysian carrier CelcomDigi announced a strategic partnership with Japanese telco SoftBank and SC-NEX, a firm owned by Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, to accelerate the digitalization of Malaysian enterprises with the adoption of Industry 4.0 solutions.
CelcomDigi noted its collaboration with SoftBank and SC-NEX will leverage the expertise of both companies on AI, robotics and analytic solutions. Together, CelcomDigi says they will further explore co-creating Industry 4.0 solutions, starting with agritech and smart city industries, using the carrier’s 4G LTE and 5G networks across Malaysia.
In the agritech segment, the collaboration will explore harmonizing drone technology with AI and analytic solutions for plantation operations, security and connectivity. Meanwhile, the partners will explore smart city use cases such as integrated building management software, IoT sensors, and access as well as security and environment visualization control.
CelcomDigi’s CEO Datuk Idham Nawawi, said: “This partnership opens many possibilities for Malaysian enterprises to gain faster access to transformative technologies and help them unlock the true potential of their businesses. Our goal is to help more businesses with their digital transformation, enabling them to remain competitive in today’s digital economy.”
“We are delighted to be working with CelcomDigi and SC-NEX to promote digital transformation in Malaysia. As part of our ‘Beyond Carrier’ growth initiative, In Japan we have developed leading smart building solutions that utilize cutting-edge building entry and robotics solutions, among others, and we look forward to utilizing our know-how with our partners. We also look forward to collaborating in other technology areas to contribute to the sustainable growth of industry in Malaysia,” said SoftBank’s vice president and head of its global business division, Kimimasa Kudo.
Last year, CelcomDigi had announced partnerships with Chinese vendors Huawei Technologies and ZTE for the purchase of network services, solutions and equipment for its nationwide network integration and modernization project.
Under the various agreements, CelcomDigi will modernize its nationwide Radio Access Network (RAN) with equipment and services from both Huawei and ZTE. The technology solutions will leverage CelcomDigi’s existing spectrum, and utilize the latest tri-band radio units, dualband radio units and baseband radio units. Both Huawei and ZTE will also manage network densification and site upgrade projects.
In December 2022, Axiata Group and Telenor Group had completed the merger of Malaysian operators Celcom and Digi. Following the completion of the merger, Axiata and Telenor now hold equal ownership in CelcomDigi at 33.1% each.
The country’s main mobile operators, including CelcomDigo, recently completed the acquisition of stakes in the state-owned wholesale 5G operator, Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB).
