Military-owned Viettel has been allowed to test in Hanoi with a maximum of 140 base transceiver stations while state company MobiFone can do so in Ho Chi Minh City with 50 stations.

The tests will help the companies evaluate their technology and market size before beginning commercial operations.

The companies need to follow cybersecurity safety and privacy regulations while running the tests, the ministry said.

The first 5G phone call in the country was made on January 17 using equipment manufactured by Viettel, which has been conducting non-commercial tests and installing equipment since last year.

The number of 5G subscriptions could hit 6.3 million by 2025 or 6 percent of total mobile subscriptions, technology conglomerate Cisco has forecast.

5G is said to offer speeds 100 times faster than 4G and support new applications like remote medical procedures and autonomous driving.