U Mobile has announced a new strategic partnership with VIBE Mobile, adding the latter to its growing list of Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) partners. Through the collaboration, the new mobile service brand will gain access to the orange telco’s next-generation 4G and 5G network infrastructure, including support for data, domestic and international services, as well as roaming capabilities.
The arrangement will also allow VIBE Mobile to focus on areas such as service design, branding, and customer engagement. Meanwhile, U Mobile will provide the underlying mobile connectivity and network infrastructure.
“At VIBE Mobile, we are creating more than a mobile brand — we are building a digital lifestyle ecosystem that reflects how today’s generation connects, consumes content, and expresses themselves,” said VIBE Mobile CEO Joseph Lim. “Together with U Mobile, we are excited to introduce a new generation of mobile experiences that go beyond connectivity to enable lifestyles and meaningful digital experiences for Malaysians.”
For those who aren’t familiar, VIBE Mobile is a licensed Malaysian MVNO under Elite Links (M) Sdn Bhd. The company positions itself as a lifestyle-centric mobile service provider with an emphasis on digital experiences and 5G connectivity, offering high-speed mobile data plans tailored for streaming and modern mobile usage habits. At the time of writing, the brand currently offers four different 30-day prepaid plans, with prices starting from RM17 per month.
The partnership with VIBE Mobile marks U Mobile’s second publicly announced MVNO collaboration so far. Back in October last year, the telco named Eastel as its first-ever 5G and 4G wholesale access partner under a five-year agreement. The upcoming MVNO, operated by Anchor Communications, was positioned towards Malaysia’s gig and creator economy, with plans to leverage U Mobile’s network for more niche and customisable mobile services.
Beyond MVNOs, the orange telco has also started making inroads into the wholesale 5G market. Earlier this February, Telekom Malaysia (TM) announced a three-year 5G wholesale agreement with U Mobile, allowing the former to utilise U Mobile’s Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) infrastructure for its own mobile offerings instead of relying on Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB).
Not long after the announcement, however, Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) responded by rejecting TM’s attempt to terminate its existing access agreement, claiming that the contract remained valid and enforceable under its existing terms. TM later maintained that it had exercised its contractual rights appropriately and would proceed through the agreement’s dispute resolution process if necessary.
(Source: U Mobile press release)
