The government-run telecom carrier, Viettel has successfully carried out the Vietnam first 5G video call using its own gNodeB transceiver.
As per a press release, with this, Viettel has become one of the few companies in the world that can manufacture fifth-generation devices.
The Minister of Information and Communications (MIC), Nguyen Manh Hung, and the Minister of Science and Technology, Chu Ngoc Anh, made the first video call on 17 January.
The gNodeB transceiver made by Viettel includes both software and hardware. The device was developed within six months, the process started in June last year.
After eight months, since the telecom carrier used a foreign-made device to test the 5G network, Viettel has helped the country to master 5G technology.
A representative of Viettel said that in the global market, the five suppliers of network infrastructure devices for 5G include Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, Samsung, and ZTE. Viettel will now become the sixth provider of the 5G device.
The company claimed that the 5G network will determine the success of the digital economy; many countries are using 5G services to strengthen their science-technology position on the global market and develop their economies.
According to a press release, Vietnam and the US recently held a meeting. The US Congress Delegation’s Congressman, Seth Moulton, said he was delighted to be in Vietnam at a meaningful time when the two countries celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations.
2020 is also the year Vietnam becomes the Chairman of ASEAN and holds an important position in the United Nations Security Council.
At the meeting, MIC’s Minister and the Congressman exchanged views on the situation of 5G technology development and talked about the development orientation of 5G in Vietnam and the US.
The Minister said that in 2020 Vietnam would commercialise 5G and publish the standards of network security for 5G devices. Within ASEAN, Vietnam plays a leading role in developing 5G technology.
He proposed that the US send a focal point to discuss with Vietnam on the development of these technical standards and test whether the 5G devices manufactured by Vietnam can enter the US market.
The Minister also discussed ITU Digital World – the largest telecommunications event. This is the first time that Vietnam has hosted it and the event is expected to attract the participation of more than 100 countries.
The Minister invited the Congressman to participate in the event and made a speech on cybersecurity of telecommunications devices.
The number of 5G subscribers in Vietnam is expected to reach 6.3 million by 2025, according to a 5G development report.
By deploying 5G services, Vietnamese telecom companies could raise their revenue by up to US $300 million each year from 2025, it noted.
However, Vietnamese mobile service providers would have to invest around US$1.5-2.5 billion in infrastructure development from 2020-2025 to launch and operate 5G services.
The report suggested that Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries need to address the release of a slow frequency spectrum for 5G services while carriers need to introduce 5G services with appropriate prices to encourage users to move to higher speeds.
