Vietnam among world's fastest countries in expanding 5G coverage
VOV.VN - Vietnam has deployed more than 40,000 5G base stations as of early 2026, providing coverage to nearly 92% of the population and marking one of the world's fastest 5G rollouts, according to Nguyen Anh Cuong, deputy director of the Authority of Telecommunications.
Speaking at the Ministry of Science and Technology's regular press briefing on July 31, Cuong emphasised that Vietnam has made significant progress in the research, development, and commercialisation of 5G technology.
Although Vietnam was not among the earliest adopters of 5G, its deployment pace "can be considered among the fastest in the world," Cuong said.
He noted that most countries typically require three to five years to achieve 90% population coverage. Vietnam's rapid rollout reflects the technological capabilities and network optimisation expertise of its domestic telecom operators.
Beyond network deployment, Vietnam has also made notable progress in manufacturing telecommunications equipment. Cuong said that around 2,500 of the country's more than 40,000 operational 5G base stations are equipped with internationally compliant hardware designed and manufactured by Vietnamese companies, accounting for roughly 6% of the total. Mobile network operators aim to steadily increase the share of domestically produced equipment across their networks.
Discussing the development of 6G, the telecommunications official stressed that mobile communications technologies require global coordination and consensus to ensure seamless interoperability. Research and standardisation efforts for 6G are being carried out through international organisations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
To prepare for the next generation of mobile technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology has established a national 6G steering committee comprising telecommunications and spectrum regulators, technology companies, and universities.
Cuong said the committee allows Vietnamese businesses and research institutions to engage in 6G development from the earliest stages of international standard-setting, enabling them to help shape global standards while preparing for deployment tailored to Vietnam's needs.
While it took the country more than eight years after 4G standards were introduced to develop and manufacture its own equipment, the timeframe has been reduced to about two years for 5G.
Building on experience gained from previous generations of mobile technology, Vietnam expects to further shorten the time needed to research, develop and master 6G technologies once they become commercially available.
Cisco accelerates 5G infrastructure development in Vietnam
VOV.VN - Cisco, a global leader in networking and cybersecurity, has launched the 5G Routed Optical Networking Lab (5G RON) in Hanoi to support Vietnam’s digital transformation and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
