The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has granted licences to telecom providers Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone to test 5G services, MIC Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Hung said on July 5.

Photo: congnghe.tuoitre.vn

Speaking at a conference held by the ministry in Hanoi, the official said the businesses have been instructed to conduct trials of the next-generation of mobile communications. 

Viettel demonstrated 5G technology in May 2019, and plans to launch commercial 5G services in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Meanwhile, the other telecom firms are promptly installing their trial 5G service base-transceiver station (BTS), with Vinaphone in Hanoi and HCM City, and Mobiphone in Hanoi, Hai Phong and Da Nang cities. 

In May 2019, the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) in cooperation with Ericsson of Sweden conducted the first call using 5G technology.

A 5G network was first deployed globally on April 4 by providers at SK Telecom, KT, LG Uplus (the Republic of Korea) and Verizon (the US).