U Business, Qualcomm and City-Link Express Slash Shipment Verification Time

17 April 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: U Mobile’s enterprise arm, U Business, has partnered with Qualcomm and City-Link Express to complete a Proof of Concept (PoC) for high-value air cargo tracking.

The trial harnessed U Mobile’s 5G-IoT architecture alongside Qualcomm® Terrestrial Positioning Service (TPS) via ULTRA IoT connectivity – U Business’s bespoke solution for enterprises.

Shipments travelled from City-Link Express’s Main Hub in Bandar Saujana Putra, Selangor, to East Malaysia, integrating ULTRA IoT connectivity, Qualcomm® TPS, and specialised trackers into logistics operations.

The PoC introduced Condition-Based Monitoring (CBM), a predictive maintenance strategy delivering real-time location and handling insights across complex airport handoffs, ground facilities, and airline custody transfers.

Traditional tracking relies on barcode scans for checkpoint updates, leaving gaps in visibility between points and complicating investigations into damage or delays.

This PoC validated that 5G-IoT asset tracking could cut verification times and speed incident resolution in live conditions.

Qualcomm trackers monitored high-value shipments for location and multi-sensor data – including shock, tilt, temperature, and light exposure – in real time.

Continuous tracking, automated digital timestamping, and secure data transmission via ULTRA IoT fed into Qualcomm® TPS, which provides accurate, power-efficient positioning using Wi-Fi, cellular signals, and optional Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) beacons.

This works reliably in challenging environments where GPS falters, creating a seamless digital audit trail from airport handling to final delivery.

Conducted over two months on select high-value air shipments to cargo terminals in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, the trial delivered striking results.

Shipment location verification improved by up to 90%, enabling rapid incident response that shrank resolution from days to hours – teams could pinpoint issues at checkpoints via alerts and act before final delivery.

Digital sensor records boosted dispute readiness by up to 50%, replacing subjective reports with objective transit data, which is vital for pharmaceuticals and similar cargo.

Automated logging and GPS trails cut review time by up to 70%, while reusable trackers reduced per-shipment costs versus single-use alternatives.

Data accuracy rose by up to 30%, supporting better route optimisation and proactive capacity planning based on real patterns, not estimates.

“U Business, as the enterprise arm of U Mobile, is always seeking to fully leverage our 5G infrastructure and solutions to support the digital ambitions of Malaysia’s businesses,” said How Lih Ren, Chief Business Officer of U Mobile.

“In this instance, we are delighted to partner with Qualcomm and City-Link Express on a PoC that increases productivity and accuracy in high-value air cargo shipments through 5G and IoT. The results are encouraging: shipment location verification improved by up to 90% and operational review time reduced by up to 70%. U Mobile is keen to go beyond connectivity, using U Business solutions to help enterprises digitise and scale confidently.”

“Qualcomm supported this Proof of Concept as a technology enablement partner through Qualcomm TPS, a service delivering precise indoor and outdoor low-power positioning across complex logistics environments,” said ST Liew, Vice President of Qualcomm Technologies and President of Qualcomm Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

“Qualcomm TPS enables partners to develop solutions that enhance device location and observability, improving supply chain insights.”

“At City-Link Express, we constantly seek innovative ways to boost service reliability and transparency,” said Colin Tan, Business Development Senior Manager.

“This collaboration with U Business and Qualcomm has transformed our high-value air cargo operations. The trackers gave us unprecedented real-time visibility and objective data, unavailable with conventional scanning. We saw shipment verification time drop by up to 90%, revolutionising incident resolution and ensuring top accountability for customers’ assets.”