$1,200 smartphone advertised as 5G-ready restricted to 4G connectivity in Vietnam

Minh Tu in Hanoi earlier this month bought one of Sony’s latest phones, the Xperia 1 Mark VI, but only found out this week that it could not connect to Vietnam’s new commercial 5G services.

"Customer services told me that although the phone is equipped with 5G hardware, its software does not support 5G due to license issues," he said.

Other users have voiced similar frustrations, noting that the Xperia 10 Mark VI, priced at around VND11.5 million, also cannot connect to Vietnam’s 5G network. Both models were launched in Vietnam in July.

A Sony representative confirmed the 5G incompatibility but did not provide further details.

On its Vietnam website, Sony says that the availability of 5G depends on factors such as the country, network provider, software updates, and the surrounding environment.

Vietnam's first commercial 5G service was introduced by Viettel, a military-owned telecom giant, earlier this week, with other providers expected to follow suit soon.