U Mobile extends Sabah ULTRA5G reach to 2.3 million people

By Amara Osei

U Mobile says its ULTRA5G footprint in Sabah now reaches about 2.3 million people. More than 545 sites across Sabah now have upgraded fibre backhaul delivering up to 10 Gbps per site, although the announcement provides no subscriber or measured-throughput figures.

U Mobile chief technology officer Woon Ooi Yuen said: “Strategic infrastructure partnerships such as the one with CTS Horizon Sdn Bhd have been instrumental in accelerating our rollout across the state, while strengthening network capacity and reliability.” He said the expansion reflects U Mobile's commitment to bringing next-generation connectivity to more Malaysians, regardless of geography. His stated focus remains a better digital experience for consumers and businesses, alongside support for Sabah's growing digital economy.

What does the footprint cover?

U Mobile first enabled ULTRA5G in Kota Kinabalu in August 2025. It has since extended coverage to Penampang, Tuaran, Papar and Keningau. U Mobile lists Wisma Merdeka, Imago Mall and Kota Kinabalu International Airport as locations with indoor coverage.

The 2.3 million figure describes the population within the operator's stated footprint. It does not mean 2.3 million U Mobile 5G subscribers have signed up. That distinction is easy to lose when a coverage milestone acquires the look of a customer win.

Who is carrying the traffic?

U Mobile appointed CTS Horizon Sdn Bhd as its key fibre leasing partner in April 2025 to support the 5G rollout across Sabah and WP Labuan. CTS Horizon, previously called Celcom Timur (Sabah) Sdn Bhd, supplies the fibre backhaul connectivity for U Mobile's ULTRA5G expansion in Sabah.

Since April 2025, CTS has delivered more than 500 leased fibre circuits across West Sabah, East Sabah and WP Labuan. U Mobile says the circuits arrived on schedule and met the rollout's backhaul-capacity and redundancy requirements. It attributes progress through Sabah's challenging terrain to CTS's local expertise and fibre network capabilities.

How much capacity has changed?

At those sites, capacity reaches up to 10 Gbps. That is ten times the previous maximum capacity of 1 Gbps typically used for 4G connectivity, according to U Mobile.

The upgrade incorporates network redundancy, which U Mobile says minimizes service disruptions and improves service availability. The announcement gives no site-by-site capacity map or independently verified performance measurements, so the headline rests on operator and partner reporting.

What are the partners claiming?

CTS Horizon network division head Ryan Blantocas Tiamson said: “We remain committed to supporting Sabah’s aspirations for greater digital inclusion and economic growth.” He described the work as putting CTS's purpose, Connecting the World for Tomorrow, into action.

Tiamson said combining CTS's fibre capabilities with U Mobile's ULTRA5G rollout strengthens connectivity for businesses and communities. Both sides frame infrastructure partnerships as the means of extending service and capacity across Sabah. U Mobile also calls itself Malaysia's best 5G network provider. That remains a marketing claim, not a comparative result demonstrated by the coverage, circuit or capacity figures in this announcement.

What remains unmeasured?

U Mobile expects the expanded footprint to support commerce, tourism and enterprise, alongside everyday connectivity. It says higher-capacity links can create opportunities for digital participation and support Sabah's wider economic development.

The announcement does not quantify customers, revenue, capital spending or service-availability improvements, so those economic benefits remain intentions rather than demonstrated outcomes. The fibre work establishes a stronger transport layer; whether consumers notice it depends on the continuing rollout.

U Mobile says it will keep expanding ULTRA5G in Sabah, although neither it nor CTS sets a coverage target or completion date in the announcement. The next milestone, then, is not another adjective but a schedule.