In March, Vietnam launched its 5G spectrum auction, opening the bidding process to all eligible enterprises for a 15-year 5G license for the 2500-2600 MHz and 3700-3800 MHz bands, with Viettel and VNPT winning rights to the respective bands. While there were no explicit legal barriers to participation, existing mobile service providers were predicted to win the licenses given the level of investments in network infrastructure needed to deploy 5G, estimated to be as high as US$1 billion.
As the license holder of the 2500-2600 MHz band, Viettel is required to launch commercial 5G services within one year and deploy a minimum of 3,000 5G broadcasting stations using the 2500-2600 MHz band within two years. An auction for the 3800-3900 MHz band was also initially scheduled to take place this month; however, it was canceled due to an insufficient number of bidders. The spectrum auctions support Vietnam’s goal to bolster its digital infrastructure and achieve 5G coverage for 99 percent of its population by 2030, as outlined in its Information and Communication Infrastructure Master Plan for the Period 2021-2030, with a Vision to 2050.
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