Advertisement
Asian Angle | Vietnam races to launch 5G network, but Chinese tech giant Huawei notably left out of plan
- The country’s major telecoms firms have been granted licenses to start network testing, with Viettel claiming to have services up and running soon
- But as Hanoi seeks to boost ties with Washington, Vietnam’s new hi-tech network is likely to come without the Chinese tech maker’s gear
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Vietnam may soon become one of the first Southeast Asian countries to go 5G, with local telecoms firms racing to develop the country’s first nationwide network. But the cutting-edge advancement is likely to come with one notable absentee: Chinese tech giant Huawei.
Advertisement
The country’s biggest carrier, Viettel, announced on April 25 that it had successfully tried out a 5G broadcast station in Hanoi with a speed of 600 to 700Mbps, reportedly on par with Verizon in the US. A full 5G network test is expected this month, Viettel said, with services offered to customers soon afterwards if successful.
Notably, Viettel claimed it had developed its own core technologies for 5G networks, including chips and devices. In fact, the firm said it was aiming to manufacture 80 per cent of the core network infrastructure needed for the network by 2020. The rest will come from suppliers.
But Viettel said it did not and would not use Huawei equipment, even for its current 4G networks.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, MobiFone, the other Vietnamese mobile carrier licensed for a 5G network trial, has chosen to go with Samsung’s technologies. Vinaphone, another major telecoms firm likely to receive a 5G trial licence soon, has already entered into a partnership with Nokia.
Advertisement