Major mobile operators in Malaysia called on the government to move away from a controversial decision to allow a single 5G wholesale network, suggesting in a meeting with representatives from Communications and Multimedia Ministry that a second nationwide network be set up, Reuters reported.

The news agency reported Celcom Axiata, Digi, Maxis and U Mobile pushed for two wholesale networks, each to be built and managed by a consortium of operators. They proposed in the meeting that two groups roll out the networks in parallel in 2022 to speed up the initial deployment and separate them in 2023 to give the country “the security of dual competing networks”.

The operators also expressed interest in being allowed to take equity in Digital Nasional, Malaysia’s state-owned 5G wholesale network operator and asked to be more involved in the rollout plans, Reuters wrote.

YTL Communications, a smaller operator, favoured the original single network plan. Telkom Malaysia stated it would support the government’s decision.

The country’s cabinet is scheduled to make a decision on a possible alternative to a single 5G network in January 2022.

DNB was tipped to begin trials of the technology in parts of three major cities this week.