HANOI: Vietnam is stepping up preparations for 6G services, seeking to shorten the time needed to research, master and commercialise the next generation of telecommunications technology by drawing on its experience in developing 4G and 5G.
Nguyen Anh Cuong, deputy director of the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority, said Vietnam had made significant progress in deploying 5G infrastructure while gradually preparing for 6G research and development.
The Ministry of Science and Technology has established a steering committee for 6G research and development, aiming to participate in the technology from the early stages of international standard-setting, master the technology and prepare for a rollout suited to domestic conditions.
A global technology, 6G requires cooperation between countries, businesses and international standards organisations to ensure the compatibility of telecommunications infrastructure worldwide, according to Cuong.
He said it took more than eight years for Vietnam to master 4G technology and produce equipment after the 4G standards were issued, while this period was shortened to about two years for 5G.
By early 2026, the country had deployed more than 40,000 5G base stations, covering 90 per cent of the population. About 250 stations use equipment designed, manufactured and deployed by domestic companies.
The country aims to further increase the number of base stations using equipment made in Việt Nam, while raising the share of telecommunications infrastructure products and technologies researched and developed domestically.
Previously, military-run telecoms and technology group Viettel became the first partner globally to join Qualcomm Technologies’ 6G Early Access Program, under which the two sides aim to conduct the first pre-commercial 6G call in early 2029 using systems and equipment developed and manufactured by Viettel.
Under its plan for developing digital infrastructure, Vietnam aims to ensure that 100 per cent of its population has access to fibre optic networks with speeds of at least 1Gbps by 2030.
The country also targets 5G coverage for 99 per cent of the population and plans to be ready to conduct trials of 6G networks. — Vietnam News/ANN
