HCMC becomes first area to have total 5G coverage in Vietnam

Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group yesterday organized the announcement ceremony of 5G technology launch, along with Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure, in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). This milestone turns the city into the first area in Vietnam to have full 5G coverage and IoT implementation on a large scale.

Leaders of HCMC, the Ministry of Information and Communications, Viettel are pressing the button to formally launch the 5G telecoms network in the city. (Photo: SGGP)
Leaders of HCMC, the Ministry of Information and Communications, Viettel are pressing the button to formally launch the 5G telecoms network in the city. (Photo: SGGP)

In this event, Viettel introduced its 1,000 Narrow Band – Internet of Things (NB-IoT) stations to service the whole HCMC and the 5G coverage of Ward 12 in District 10, where the Viettel Building is located.

All 5G stations in the city use smart antenna systems with 64 transceivers, level-8 technology (256-QAM) to allow 4 threads to work simultaneously. Nokia is responsible for providing 5G and IoT hardware for Viettel to launch 5G in HCMC.

The IoT technology is operated based on 4G infrastructure designed by Viettel, including base stations, antennae, and authorized bands to connect a huge number of devices on a large scale with low cost and energy consumption.

In the framework of this ceremony, participants were able to experience various applications based on the 5G platform such as interacting with robots remotely controlled via 5G waves, playing virtual reality games based on cloud service, watching online video having 8K resolution, virtually travelling through many locations using Camera 360, enjoying features of a smart house, and observing the activities of IoT-based devices.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam highly appreciated the leading role of Viettel in the telecommunications field as it often pioneers state-of-the-art technologies for the socio-economic development. He affirmed that his ministry always encourages Viettel and other businesses in the industry to further contribute their part to the national digital transformation process.

The Deputy Minister expressed his belief that the early installation of modern ICT infrastructure in Vietnam can guarantee the best services for both the public and businesses in the nation whenever and wherever they want. “This technology launch is supposed to help the already active HCMC become more dynamic in the future and lead the whole country in the digital transformation process”, he added.

In his speech in the ceremony, Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan stated that this 5G technology launch has provided golden opportunities for the surge of the IT industry in HCMC, saying that the number of IT companies in the city (at over 10,500 enterprises) is quite impressive but should increase more.

The HCMC Party Chief whole-heartedly welcomed the idea of Viettel’s Deputy General Director Hoang Son to let HCMC become the place to manufacture certain 5G devices, as the city has sufficient infrastructure and advantages, including the largest hi-tech park in the country (with nearly 700ha and more than US$8 billion investment capital) and Quang Trung Software City, along with the currently running project to transform into a smart city, the huge high quality IT human resources, the proper interest of the municipal authorities toward this industry.

According to Mr. Nhan, one pressure of HCMC is to maintain the working performance at three times as much as the national one, so there is no choice but to focus more on information and communications technology, one of which is the implementation of 5G technology.

He also suggested that HCMC should cooperate with the Ministry of Information and Communications, Viettel to expand the area that can apply 5G technology, giving top priority to traffic. He insisted that science must develop to serve humans’ needs, to increase performance, and to ease the life of citizens.

In response to the HCMC Party Chief, Mr. Hoang Son promised that Viettel will help HCMC become the national leader in scientific-technological research and implementation of the latest technologies.

Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan, leaders of the Ministry of Information and Communications, leaders of the HCMC People’s Committee, the HCMC People’s Council, and representatives from related state agencies took part in this special ceremony.

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