Malaysia's 5G story just picked up another twist. After Telekom Malaysia (TM) revealed it had signed a three-year 5G wholesale agreement with U Mobile, the assumption was pretty straightforward: TM would transition away from DNB's wholesale 5G access and move onto U Mobile's Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) setup.

But DNB isn't treating that transition as a done deal.

What TM Announced First

TM's move was framed as part of the wider shift toward Malaysia's 5G Dual Network Model. The company said it was making the change in connection with that transition and that it had exercised its contractual rights to terminate its existing 5G access arrangement with DNB, subject to regulatory processes and requirements.

On paper, it sounded like a clean switch: new wholesale partner, new network arrangement, and business continues as usual for customers.

DNB's Response: "We Don't Accept The Termination"

DNB has now publicly rejected TM's notice to terminate the 5G Wholesale Network Access Agreement, saying the contract remains valid, binding, and enforceable.

According to reporting and DNB's position, the agreement includes specific conditions for early termination, and DNB argues TM did not follow those conditions properly when issuing its termination notice.

The key implication here is simple: TM says it has exited, DNB says it hasn't.

Why This Matters: The Agreement Runs Until 2032

This isn't a short-term contract disagreement where both sides shrug and move on. DNB points out that the access agreement with TM is slated to run until October 2032, which is why it's treating the termination attempt as something that needs to be challenged rather than quietly accepted.

DNB also says it will take the necessary steps to protect its interests and reserves its rights under the agreement and in law.

TM's Reply: "We Followed The Agreement"

TM didn't leave the statement unanswered. The company maintains it exercised its contractual rights in strict compliance with the provisions governing early termination, and that it made the decision after reviewing its legal rights and obligations under the agreement. TM also says its termination notice is valid and that it will pursue the dispute-resolution mechanisms already outlined in the agreement.

In other words, TM is positioning this as a contractual process issue, not a random unilateral walkout.

What About Customers And Service Stability?

Both sides are trying to keep the public message calm: uninterrupted service is still the priority.

DNB says it remains committed to stability, reliability, and security of the national 5G network for stakeholders and end users. TM similarly stresses uninterrupted service while managing the transition in a phased and orderly manner.

That said, when two parties disagree on whether a contract is still in force, it naturally introduces uncertainty around how smooth a "transition" can be in practice.

Final Thoughts

This looks less like a technology problem and more like a contract-and-process problem that just happens to sit inside a national 5G rollout. TM is clearly moving toward U Mobile's wholesale arrangement under the dual network direction, but DNB is signalling it won't let a long-term agreement be ended unless every termination condition has been followed exactly.

Until the dispute-resolution process (or a legal/regulatory outcome) settles the question, the big thing to watch is whether this turns into a quiet behind-the-scenes negotiation, or a public standoff that slows down the momentum of Malaysia's 5G restructuring.