On May 20, Vietnamese state-owned telecom operator Viettel announced that it had acquired the right to use the B2 – B2’ block of the 700 MHz band for 15 years after making a VND 1.995 trillion (US$ 76.6 million) bid. Prior efforts to auction the spectrum block had stalled due to an insufficient number of qualified participants. This new frequency band will be utilized to deploy mobile broadband 4G/5G services, with the aim of having 20,000 5G base transceiver stations (BTS) by the end of this year to provide coverage to 95% of urban areas.
Vietnam’s progress in developing nationwide 5G infrastructure marks an important milestone for implementing Resolution 57/NQ-TW, which outlines Vietnam’s digital economy ambitions, including ultra-high capacity and ultra-broadband connectivity. According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, 11,591 5G BTS have been installed across Vietnam as of early May, providing coverage for approximately 26% of the population. Other local telecom providers, including VNPT and MobiFone, have announced plans to deploy additional BTS to expand 5G coverage. The 4G network currently covers 99.8% of the population, and the density of 5G stations is expected to increase significantly, from 7.72% to 57.5% 4G station density by the end of 2025.
