U Mobile has reached 90% 5G Coverage of Populated Areas (CoPA) nationwide in Malaysia, delivering its ULTRA5G target nine months ahead of the July 2027 deadline the operator set for itself. Minister of Communications YB Dato' Seri Fahmi Fadzil and Deputy Minister YB Teo Nie Ching officiated the milestone on 6 October 2026.

The speed of the buildout stands out even by regional standards. U Mobile began its 5G rollout in July 2025 under Malaysia's Dual 5G Network Model and passed 80% CoPA in March 2026. That leaves roughly ten percentage points of populated-area coverage added in the final stretch before this week's announcement.

Why does the Dual 5G Network Model matter?

Malaysia moved from a single wholesale 5G network operated by Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) to a dual-network structure, allowing U Mobile to build and operate its own 5G infrastructure. TechNave has previously reported on the operator completing its network infrastructure transition from DNB to its own ULTRA5G network, making this 90% CoPA figure a measure of U Mobile's self-built footprint rather than wholesale capacity.

The regulatory blessing at the ceremony signals government buy-in for the second-network strategy at a time when coverage milestones are politically visible in Malaysia.

What do independent measurements show?

Coverage numbers alone say little about user experience, but third-party benchmarks back U Mobile's claims:

• In the Q1–Q2 2026 Ookla Speedtest Awards, Ookla named U Mobile Malaysia's Best Mobile Network and Fastest 5G Network.
• Opensignal's July 2026 report on Malaysia saw U Mobile jump from last place to joint first for Reliability and Consistent Quality.
• The Malaysia Book of Records has recognized U Mobile for the Fastest 5G Network Rollout.

The Opensignal result in particular carries weight: moving from last place to joint first on reliability within a single reporting cycle suggests the network quality improved alongside raw coverage, not just site counts.

Where does indoor coverage stand?

U Mobile has also surpassed 250 In-Building Coverage (IBC) sites nationwide, targeting the indoor connectivity gaps that outdoor macro sites often miss in Malaysia's shopping malls, office towers and high-rise residential blocks.

The operator has not disclosed the total number of 5G sites behind the 90% CoPA figure, nor subscriber counts for its ULTRA5G service.

What comes after 90%?

With the coverage milestone banked, U Mobile plans to build on the ULTRA5G foundation by advancing 5G-Advanced and AI-enabled solutions across Malaysia. No timeline or investment figure accompanied that commitment, so it reads as strategic direction rather than a funded roadmap.

For now, the operator has closed the coverage question that hung over its second-network licence. Whether 5G-Advanced monetization follows at similar speed will define the next phase of the ULTRA5G programme.