Tag: VNPT

  • Vietnam to begin 6G technology research and development

    Vietnam to begin 6G technology research and development

    Vietnam will start researching 6G wireless networks in 2022, says Information and Communications Minister Nguyen Manh Hung. Addressing a 2021 telecom review conference last weekend, Hung said Vietnam’s telecom industry should “be in the top group in terms of deploying 5G and developing 6G networks in the world.”

    He said Vietnam will carry out 6G research this year alongside nationwide deployment of the 5G network. According to the ministry Department of Telecommunications, a steering committee for 6G research development has been formed. Vietnam is one of the world’s first ten countries to set up this committee.

    Hung also set a target of 6G frequencies being licensed by 2028 before moving on to its commercial rollout.

    “Telecom networks must quickly transition to cloud-based and software-based architectures, so that the network becomes intelligent and flexible, and can be software-configured into numerous specialized sub-networks. Open RAN will be used as a technology for 5G, 6G development,” he said.

    Vietnamese companies should target to successfully research and manufacture 5G and 6G equipment, transmission equipment, and terminal equipment, he added.

    A representative of the department said that Vietnam will commercialize 5G this year and aim to have 25 percent of the population using the technology by 2025. He said 4G services currently cover 99.8 percent of the country.

    Three major telecom providers VNPT, MobiFone, and Viettel have been commercially trialing 5G services in 16 provinces and cities.

    6G technology is the next step after 5G that is being researched in a few countries including the U.S. and China.

    In theory, 6G could reach speeds of one terabit per second, it has been reported.

    The 6G network is expected to lay the groundwork for an “intelligent era” in which AI and robots become commonplace. However, no technical standards or frequencies for 6G have been agreed upon as yet.

  • Vietnam telcos ready to pilot mobile money

    Vietnam telcos ready to pilot mobile money

    Vietnamese operators MobiFone, VNPT and Viettel have all submitted proposals to participate in pilot mobile money services.

    Vietnam’s prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has directed the telecommunications ministry and the State Bank of Vietnam to develop a project that will allow operators to pilot mobile money services not linked to customers’ bank accounts.

    The three operators have submitted applications to launch mobile money services that will allow customers to transfer money using mobile phones, including Vietnam’s unbanked population.

    According to the report, the operators believe they have the capital, infrastructure and user base necessary to launch mobile money services and contribute to the development of non-cash payment in Vietnam.

    The market could represent a promising avenue for expansion for the operators – Vietnam’s fintech market is set to reach $8 billion in 2020, with digital payment solutions accounting for around 89% of the market. Meanwhile only around 40% of the population have bank accounts, but mobile penetration is well above 100%.

  • Vietnamese network providers ready for 5G rollout

    Vietnamese network providers ready for 5G rollout

    Vietnamese telecom firms are seeking a head start in the 5G race as the country becomes an early adopter of the technology. State-owned Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) recently signed a deal with Finnish telecom firm Nokia to develop 5G solutions and technology for the Internet of Things. The three-year deal is worth $15 million.

    The country’s third largest mobile service provider is seeking permission from the Ministry of Information and Communications for its Vinaphone network to beta test 5G, chairman Tran Manh Hung said at a conference last month.

    He said the test would help VNPT master the technology and prepare to produce 5G equipment, adding Vinaphone is ready to provide 5G services as soon as it gets the ministry green light.

    Military-run Viettel Group has also announced it is ready to beta test 5G next year. Its deputy director, Tao Duc Thang, said its installation of infrastructure for 4G even in remote areas allows Viettel to be ready for the new network.

    5G is said to offer speeds 100 times faster than 4G, primarily used for smartphones and other similar devices. The former is also expected to support new applications like remote medical procedures and autonomous driving.

    Thang said Viettel, the country’s largest mobile service provider, is working with partners to manufacture 5G equipment.

    “I think Vietnamese operators are ready for 5G with the existing infrastructure. When the market, equipment and users are ready, developing 5G will be possible.”

    The company, which has been working on 5G plans since 2015, will start installing infrastructure early next year and introduce the service first in big cities like Hanoi and HCMC.

    The country’s second biggest mobile service provider, MobiFone, which trailed its competitors in deploying 4G, earlier this year signed an agreement with Samsung Electronics for engineering and commercial cooperation on 4G and 5G networks.

    Vietnamobile, a joint venture between Hanoi Telecom and Hongkong-based Hutchison Asia Telecommunications, has also announced its interest in offering 5G services.

    VNPT, Viettel, MobiFone, and Vietnamobile are expected to receive 5G testing licenses in January.

    Last month Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said at a conference that Vietnam should test 5G next year and ensure nationwide coverage by 2020.

    “Vietnam should be one of the first to launch the network, at least in Hanoi and HCMC.” The country had been one of the last in Southeast Asia to roll out 4G.

    This time Vietnam would be able to produce the required equipment before it launches the network, whereas for 4G the country had to wait for eight years before being able to do so, and for 2G and 3G all the equipment had to be imported, he said.

    “5G is not only an opportunity for connection services and going up the telecommunications ladder, but also an opportunity for developing the country’s information and communications technology industry.”

    The International Telecommunication Union last year ranked Vietnam 115th out of 193 economies in terms of mobile teledensity, but Hung wants the country to have 100 percent subscription by 2020 and be among top 30-50 countries in the world in data spending per capita.

    Vietnam’s telecom market was estimated at more than $16 billion in 2016, with the three state-owned providers, Viettel, MobiFone, and VNPT, accounting for 95 percent of the market.

    Viettel had the largest share with 46.7 percent, followed by MobiFone with 26.1 percent and VNPT with 22.2 percent.

    While MobiFone and VNPT are on the list of state-owned companies slated for privatization by 2020, Viettel will remain in government hands.

  • VNPT upgrades charging and BSS with Ericsson

    VNPT upgrades charging and BSS with Ericsson

    Vietnamese telecoms operator VNPT has contracted Ericsson to upgrade its charging and business support system.

    Under the deal, Ericsson will provide a new online charging system to support VNPT’s 40 million prepaid and postpaid subscribers. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

    The Ericsson Charging System is replacing VNPT’s legacy infrastructure, and the contract also includes a backend IT peripheral system, which will simplify integration of existing IT applications. The backend system will take full advantage of the new charging features and provides a flexible platform for VNPT to deploy new and innovative services, Ericsson said in a statement.

    The new online system will be put in service by VNPT during the fourth quarter, allowing VNPT to launch 4G services on this new platform. It also marks an important step in the company’s digital transformation, the Sweden vendor added.

    “Ericsson’s modernization of our charging system gives us the agility needed to meet the changing needs of our subscribers who expect greater control, personalization and flexibility,” said Nguyen Nam Long, general manager at VNPT Network. “It also helps us prepare for the introduction of 4G and makes it easier to further develop our service offering.”

    With the new system in service, VNPT’s subscribers will be able to request and update account information in real-time and automatically get notifications on costs, balances, and bonuses. The system will also give VNPT a better understanding of subscriber behavior and make it possible to rapidly create personalized offers, for example charging individual subscribers for bandwidth or specific services.

    Denis Brunetti, head of Ericsson Vietnam and Myanmar, said the Ericsson Charging System will help VNPT reduce the overall service management and service delivery costs. It will also enable VNPT to increase subscriber satisfaction and to capitalize on new business opportunities.

    The Ericsson Charging System has been deployed by over 200 customers supporting around 2.1 billion subscribers worldwide, Brunetti noted.

  • VNPT launches mobile satellite services

    VNPT launches mobile satellite services

    Vietnamese military-run operator VNPT has launched mobile satellite services via subsidiary VinaPhone.

    The operator has signed an agreement with Thuraya to expand its coverage to 100% of Vietnam’s territory – as well as two thirds of the world – by utilizing the Thuraya network.

    Thuraya will provide its land and maritime handsets for the services, which will allow postpaid customers to make voice calls send SMS and use GPS.

    Services will be offered for consumers and government agencies as well as enterprise customers, particularly those in the mining, fishey, transport, construction and tourism industries.

    In the initial launch phase VNPT will introduce Thuraya’s XT-Lite satellite handsets and the SF2500 maritime communication system. The latter product supports voice capabilities, crew calling, GPS tracking, geo-fencing and SMS services..

    “The launch of mobile satellite services confirms our dedication to the primary mission of VNPT, consolidating technology to serve the needs of society,” a VNPT representative commented.

    “The mobile satellite service marks a significant step for the VNPT VinaPhone mobile network, allowing it to cover all of Vietnam, thereby eliminating communication black spots.”

    VNPT’s Vinaphone was the first mobile network to cover all provinces and cities across Vietnam in 1999, and to cover all districts in 2006.