Malaysia’s 5G network performance has trended downward from Q4 2023 to Q3 2025, diverging from the stable — and in some cases improving — performance seen across several neighbouring markets. This decline comes after a very strong start. In an earlier report, Malaysia’s 5G median download speed ranked among the world’s best, placing third globally in Q3 2023.
Since then, median 5G download speeds have fallen markedly, dropping from 451.79 Mbps in Q4 2023 to 242.92 Mbps by Q3 2025. Median 5G upload speeds also softened over the same period, declining from 49.87 Mbps to 29.52 Mbps.
This trend contrasts with regional peers operating under multi-operator frameworks, where market competition and segmented spectrum allocation may provide stronger resilience and more effective capacity planning during traffic surges. South Korea, a long-established 5G leader, continues to report consistently high performance, with median 5G download speeds exceeding 528 Mbps and peaking at 564.14 Mbps in Q3 2025. Singapore has also demonstrated relative stability, reaching a median 5G download speed of 349.19 Mbps in Q3 2025.
Elsewhere in the region, Vietnam and Brunei recorded notable gains. Vietnam’s median 5G download speed climbed to 350.28 Mbps in Q3 2025, while Brunei showed an overall upward trajectory despite some fluctuations. These improvements are likely linked to their status as newer 5G markets, where early deployments serve a smaller and less congested subscriber base. As adoption scales up, performance in these markets is expected to normalise.
Despite the overall decline, Malaysia’s Q3 2025 median 5G download speed remains competitive within the region. It continues to outperform markets such as the Philippines (120.16 Mbps), Japan (124.11 Mbps), and Thailand (169.35 Mbps). Thailand’s lower results, in particular, reflect its heavier reliance on low-band and lower-mid frequency spectrum, which inherently constrains peak speeds compared with regional peers.
Source : ookla