Vietnam to switch fully to 4G, 5G by 2028

Military-owned giant Viettel has started notifying users with outdated devices to upgrade to phones that support Voice over LTE (VoLTE).

The move follows last year’s campaign to eliminate 2G-only phones, part of a broader push by telecom providers to phase out legacy networks.

Though 2G services have been officially discontinued, the continued use of non-VoLTE phones has delayed a complete shutdown of the network.

Devices without VoLTE often revert to 2G or 3G during calls, causing service interruptions.

A person uses a basic feature phone ahead of Vietnam's 2G shutdown in October 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Luu Quy

At a recent GSMA event, Nguyen Phong Nha, deputy director of the Authority of Telecommunications, said the 2G network is still necessary to support older devices and certain narrowband IoT services.

But the government is actively promoting a shift to broadband connections, he said.

"By 2028 we will also shut down 3G, and only 4G and 5G will remain."

Under a national roadmap, 2G will be fully deactivated by September 2026.

A telecom representative said early upgrades are being encouraged to avoid last-minute congestion and potential service disruptions, as seen during the previous phase-out.

While the number of non-VoLTE phones in use remains unclear, they are no longer imported.

From July 1, 2024, all 4G-enabled phones made or imported into Vietnam must support VoLTE, according to government regulations.

The transition is expected to accelerate Vietnam’s digital transformation, enabling wider access to services such as e-payments and online public platforms.

It will also ease pressure on the telecom infrastructure and free up resources for future technologies like 5G and 6G.