Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation (Resolution 57) sets the goal that by 2030, Vietnam will have nationwide 5G coverage.
The commitments and support policies along with the determination to expand 5G coverage of telecommunications enterprises are expected to help Vietnam soon complete this goal.
Critical infrastructure drives digital transformation
5G (5th generation) is the most advanced mobile technology today, inheriting and upgrading from generations 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G.
5G networks offer access speeds 10 times faster than 4G, near-zero latency, and the ability to connect millions of devices simultaneously. 5G is more than just a broadband mobile network; when combined with cloud computing and artificial intelligence, the potential of 5G is much greater.
By early 2025, 5G networks have been deployed in many countries around the world , promoting technological development and bringing outstanding benefits to users.
South Korea was the first country to commercialize 5G on April 3, 2019. Carriers such as SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus have rapidly expanded their infrastructure, attracting millions of users.
To date, more than 300 operators worldwide have deployed 5G services, with about 50 operators deploying standalone 5G. By the end of 2029, 5G is expected to account for about 60% of all global mobile subscribers.
According to Mr. Le Thai Hoa, Deputy Director of the Radio Frequency Department (Ministry of Science and Technology), deploying and developing the 5G network in Vietnam not only brings technological benefits but is also an important driving force to promote sustainable economic growth, enhance national competitiveness and support the industrialization and modernization process.
5G network infrastructure is an important foundation to help realize breakthrough technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI)...
With the ability to provide ultra-high speed, ultra-low latency and support large concurrent connections, 5G network is not only an upgrade in data transmission speed but also a driving force for the development of many fields such as healthcare, education, manufacturing, while opening up huge opportunities for successful implementation of national digital transformation.
Accompanying telecommunications businesses, Resolution 57 clearly states that the state is committed to investing heavily in digital infrastructure, including the 5G network.
On February 19, 2025, the National Assembly passed Resolution 193/2025/QH15 on piloting a number of special mechanisms and policies to create breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation development, officially realizing this policy.
Accordingly, the Resolution stipulates support for network operators investing in 5G infrastructure. The Government will support up to 15% of the total investment value if businesses deploy at least 20,000 broadcasting stations in 2025.
On March 1, 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued Directive 05/CT-TTg on solutions to promote economic growth, in which the Prime Minister requested to promote 5G commercialization and strongly develop high-speed broadband as a new driving force for economic growth.
Nationwide 5G coverage by 2030
Vietnam's 5G development strategy has been clearly defined in national digital technology and infrastructure policies. To achieve the goal of an average transmission speed of 100 Mbps by 2025 and nationwide 5G coverage by 2030, many solutions are being actively deployed.
Spectrum is considered a strategic resource, playing a vital role in the development of the telecommunications industry.
Vietnam has issued important plans, focusing on strategic bands such as 2600 MHz, 3700 MHz, below 1 GHz and 700 MHz. In total, nearly 1000 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band has been allocated for mobile telecommunications.
To select capable businesses, the frequency band for 5G mobile networks is auctioned publicly and transparently.
In 2024, Viettel successfully auctioned the B1 frequency block (2500-2600 MHz), VNPT the C2 frequency block (3700-3800 MHz) and MobiFone the C3 frequency block (3800-3900 MHz). In May 2025, Viettel continued to successfully auction the right to use the B2 and B2' frequency blocks (713-723 MHz and 768-778 MHz).
This is one of three 700 MHz frequency bands - considered the "diamond" band because of its good transmission ability, network signals can travel far and penetrate obstacles such as walls, high-rise buildings... helping network operators improve coverage, especially in rural or remote areas.
The Ministry of Science and Technology will continue to auction the remaining two frequency blocks of the 700 MHz band.
After being granted spectrum usage rights, businesses have quickly deployed and commercialized 5G services with the expectation of contributing 7.3% to 7.4% to the national GDP in 2025.
Viettel will commercialize 5G from October 2024, VNPT from December 2024 and MobiFone from March 2025.
According to information from the Radio Frequency Department (Ministry of Science and Technology), by May 2025, Viettel, VNPT and MobiFone had deployed about 11,000 5G stations in 100% of provinces and cities nationwide and covered 5G over 26% of the population.
According to the 5G deployment plan of network operators, it is expected that by the end of 2025, the number of 5G stations nationwide will reach about 68,000 stations, covering 90% of the population.
Specifically, Viettel aims to reach 20,000 5G broadcasting stations in 2025. After the Government issued Resolution No. 03/NQ-CP on the Government's Action Program to implement Resolution No. 57, Viettel urgently reported to the Ministry of National Defense and carried out bidding procedures, with the equipment expected to arrive in August 2025 at the earliest.
VNPT has covered 5G to all central areas of provinces, cities and important areas such as industrial parks, airports, and political centers.
Along with that, VNPT has cooperated with foreign technology partners to build and deploy 5G business strategies to seek new business cooperation opportunities in the fields of data centers, AI Factory, Network API, satellites, and vertical industry applications.
VNPT also promotes cooperation in sharing 4G and 5G infrastructure with other network operators to reduce costs and expand coverage.
MobiFone focuses on 5G coverage in the centers of major provinces and cities; accelerates 5G deployment in key areas, especially Ho Chi Minh City, aiming to deploy 10,000 new transmission stations, expanding 5G coverage to 100% of communes nationwide.
According to the Radio Frequency Department, the deployment of 5G on mid-band frequencies has significantly contributed to bringing Vietnam's mobile broadband Internet access speed in the first quarter of 2025 into the world's top 20 for the first time, with a speed increase of 2.9 times over the same period last year.
In April 2025, the Ministry of Science and Technology issued Circular No. 02/2025/TT-BKHCN on radio frequency channel allocation planning for fixed services in the 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz bands (known as the E band).
The issuance of the Circular creates a favorable foundation for the deployment of ultra-high-speed transmission infrastructure, an essential component for the development of 5G networks nationwide.
E-band is considered a strategic solution thanks to its superior technical characteristics with the ability to provide large capacity, channel width from 250 MHz to 2000 MHz.
The E band enables the deployment of high-speed transmission lines over short distances, especially suitable for transmission needs in high-density urban areas, data centers and 5G radio access networks./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-tang-toc-phu-song-5g-dong-luc-moi-cho-tang-truong-gdp-va-chuyen-doi-so-post1049142.vnp
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