Nguyen Anh Cuong, a senior telecom official, said Vietnam has made significant progress in 5G research, development, and commercialization, speaking at a press briefing on July 31.

By early 2026, telecom operators had installed over 40,000 5G base stations, covering about 92% of the population.

Nguyen Anh Cuong noted Vietnam wasn't among the first to launch 5G, but its deployment pace is among the fastest worldwide.

Many countries take three to five years to cover 90% of their population, but Vietnam's progress shows its telecom operators' capabilities and expertise in large-scale networks, according to Cuong. He believes this reflects well on Vietnam's technological abilities.

Vietnam has also made progress in making telecom equipment.

Of over 40,000 5G base stations, about 2,500 use Vietnamese-made equipment, which is about 6% of the total, said Cuong. Operators want to increase the use of domestic equipment in their networks.

For 6G development, global coordination and standards are necessary for smooth network operation, emphasized the telecom official.

The research and standardization of 6G are being done through international groups like the ITU and 3GPP.

A national 6G committee has been set up by the Ministry of Science and Technology to prepare for the next wireless technology generation.

The committee includes reps from telecom agencies, tech companies, and universities, aiming to help Vietnamese businesses participate in 6G development from the start, enabling them to contribute to global standards and prepare for future deployment.

Nguyen Anh Cuong said Vietnam used to need over eight years to make its own telecom equipment after 4G standards were set, but now it's faster.

For 5G, that time has been reduced to nearly two years, he said.

Vietnam expects to further shorten the time to research and master 6G technology once global deployment starts, building on its experience.

Du Lam