VinaPhone becomes 2nd telco to launch 5G in Vietnam

On Friday morning the state-owned Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) announced the commercial rollout of 5G for VinaPhone users.

The carrier has announced 5G packages priced at VND199,000 to VND349,000 per month offering 240-300 GB of data, promotions on calls and SMSs and free access to some social media platforms.

VinaPhone said its 5G deployment adheres to global standards. The initial rollout targets socio-economic hubs such as district administrative centers, industrial zones, seaports, airports, schools, hospitals, and tourist destinations.

VinaPhone 5G base transceiver station. Photo courtesy of VNPT Group

Unlike Viettel’s 5G network launched in October on the 2,500-2,600 MHz band, VinaPhone’s network operates on the 3,700-3,800 MHz band.

VinaPhone claims speeds of up to 1.5 Gbps, 10-20 times faster than 4G, allowing for "immediate and noticeable speed improvements," especially for high-bandwidth, low-latency applications like cloud gaming, live streaming and 4K/8K/360-degree video playback.

In addition to consumer services, the company also plans to deploy Private 5G Networks for industries such as manufacturing, healthcare and education, offering customized networks through network slicing and pre-designed application models to meet sector-specific demands.

It aims to expand 5G coverage further in 2025, targeting 85% of the population.

Licensing terms require successful bidders to launch services within 12 months and set up at least 3,000 5G stations within two years.