Vietnamese military-run telecom operator Viettel stories spectacular uptake figures since launching its 5G cell community in mid-October 2024. Inside two weeks, the agency attracted 3 million 5G customers, reaching 4 million in late December.
Whereas 5G has been out there in lots of Asian markets for a while, customers in Vietnam had been compelled to attend for his or her first style of the brand new know-how.
Viettel First to Market
The nation’s three largest cell community operators (MNOs) had been awarded 5G-suitable spectrum within the first half of final yr. Since 2020, every has carried out wide-ranging business exams of the next-generation know-how.
In March 2024, Viettel was the primary to be awarded a 2500MHz-2600MHz spectrum license, with plans to deploy the know-how “as quickly as potential.” Later that month, VNPT-VinaPhone gained a license for 3700MHz-3800MHz spectrum. MobiFone adopted with a 3800MHz-3900MHz license in July.
In September, Nokia of Finland introduced a “main” settlement with Viettel to roll out 5G tools and modernize 4G infrastructure.
The mission covers 22 provinces throughout the nation. It makes use of Nokia’s 5G AirScale portfolio of options, which incorporates Nokia’s next-generation AirScale baseband options, Large MIMO radios, and Distant Radio Head merchandise. Based on Nokia, the tools was manufactured domestically.
By the community launch on October 15, Viettel claimed to have put in greater than 6,500 5G base transceiver stations, overlaying all 63 provincial capitals, industrial zones, vacationer websites, ports, airports, hospitals, and universities.
Viettel’s 5G community boasts obtain charges between 700 Mbps and 1 Gbps, about ten instances quicker than 4G, with near-zero latency.
The agency’s 5G community boasts obtain charges between 700 Mbps and 1 Gbps, about ten instances quicker than 4G, with near-zero latency. It presents each non-standalone and standalone 5G architectures.
Viettel went on to launch 5G Open RAN infrastructure in November, with greater than 300 websites scheduled for deployment by the top of Q1 2025.
VNPT December Launch
On December 20, 2024, Viettel was joined within the 5G market by rival operator VNPT-VinaPhone, which is utilizing its 3.7GHz-3.8GHz spectrum to supply obtain charges of as much as 1.5 Gbps.
Like Viettel, VNPT VinaPhone is working with Nokia on its 5G rollout underneath a contract inked in October.
VNPT-VinaPhone is a completely owned subsidiary of Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), itself owned by the Vietnamese authorities.
Alongside its two predominant rivals, the third 5G licensee, MobiFone, can also be a state-owned enterprise. It’s anticipated to launch 5G providers within the first half of 2025.
In October 2024, MobiFone signed an MoU with Swedish vendor Ericsson to collaborate on establishing a 5G Innovation Hub at MobiFone’s premises in Vietnam. The Innovation Hub will probably be utilized to develop new 5G use circumstances in collaboration with companions in Vietnam and different elements of the globe.
Aggressive Market
In 2010, Vietnam’s complete variety of cell subscriptions exceeded 100 million, a milestone reached by simply eight different nations worldwide at the moment.
Based on the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority, the variety of subscriptions has fluctuated lately, following makes an attempt by the authorities to crack down on SIM possession to make sure all customers are appropriately registered.
Altering Fortunes
Vietnam’s Cell Market
This led to a ten.8% contraction of the market in 2017. The subscription complete rebounded by 13.4% the next yr earlier than dropping by a mean of two.0% in 2019-2021 as the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic led to full lockdowns, which hindered cell operators’ offline gross sales and advertising and marketing actions.
As COVID-19 restrictions eased, development returned in 2022 earlier than a renewed try to crack down on SIM possession led to a 2.5% decline in subscriptions in 2023.
As of June 30, 2024, the market complete stood at 124.64 million subscriptions. Inhabitants penetration stays excessive, skyrocketing from solely 23% on the finish of 2006 to over 100% simply three years later. By mid-2024, it reached roughly 125%, though this is kind of in keeping with the regional common.
Based on TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Viettel, VNPT-VinaPhone, and MobiFone managed 95.8% of the market in mid-2024. At the moment, Viettel alone held properly over half of complete cell subscriptions.
Viettel is a unit of Navy Business and Telecommunications Group, itself wholly owned by the Vietnamese authorities through the Ministry of Protection.
