Vietnamese telecommunications company Viettel has awarded the majority share of its nationwide 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) deployment to its existing partner, Ericsson. Both partners have signed a related Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance 5G adoption and innovation in Vietnam. Starting immediately, Ericsson's 5G products and services will be deployed across most provinces in Vietnam, according to the official release.
Also Read: Viettel Group Inks Deal for Nationwide 5G Deployment in Vietnam
Modernisation of 4G Network
Ericsson's 5G deployment will include the capital, Hanoi, as well as the northern and central regions of Vietnam when complete. The extended partnership will also see Ericsson modernise its 4G network for Viettel across the same geographical areas.
Spectrum Refarming Initiatives
Viettel is also preparing for continuous spectrum refarming to New Radio (NR), utilising the 2600 MHz spectrum for both 4G and 5G non-standalone (NSA) deployments, positioning itself for future 5G Standalone (5G SA) deployment with the potential to introduce new services.
Commenting on extending the partnership, Viettel said, "This year marks a significant milestone for Vietnam with the commercial deployment of 5G. 5G will deliver a superior user experience and enable new enterprise features that will unleash the capabilities of Industry 4.0 and facilitate the digital transformation of Vietnam."
Also Read: Viettel Deploys and Validates 5G Open RAN on Live Network
Industry 4.0 and Digital Transformation
Additionally, under the MoU, both companies will promote 5G adoption and develop innovative applications. The collaboration will focus on areas such as network slicing, developer enablement via network APIs, and knowledge exchange on emerging technologies, aiming to drive the commercialisation of 5G in Vietnam and unlock the full potential of Industry 4.0 applications.
