The bandwidth for 4G in Vietnam is lower than in many other countries.(Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A recent report by the VietnamTelecommunications Authority (VNTA) revealed that the bandwidth for 4G inVietnam is lower than in many other countries.
According to the survey on 50 operators in 17 countries, Vietnam rankedbottom in terms of bandwidth for 4G mobile networks.
Specifically, Vietnamese bandwidth for 4G is 15*2 MHz for eachtelecommunication operator, while that of the Republic of Korea’s SK Telecom is70*2 MHz, Australian Telstra is 80*2 MHz and Chinese China Mobile is 220 MHz(equivalent to 110*2 MHz).
Experts said that with limited bandwidth, 4G service quality could be poor.
Talking to online newspaper ICTnews recently, Tao Duc Thang, DeputyGeneral Director of Viettel, said that with the amount of 4G subscribers, theoperator did not have enough bandwidth for 4G subscriber development.
Currently, Viettel is the network provider with the largest number of 4Gsubscribers. It is using previously granted bandwidth for 2G and 3G to provide4G services to customers.
Therefore, Viettel proposed early bidding for 2.6 GHz bandwidth so that itcan ensure 4G service quality.
Recently, Viettel Group has proposed the Ministry of Information andCommunications to soon take the licensing for 2.6GHz bandwidth intoconsideration for 4G services.
Hoang Son, Deputy General Director of Viettel Group, said that the 1800MHz bandwidth that enterprises were deploying was not enough for operators toprovide 4G with good quality.
Therefore, Son suggested that if the 4G auction had not been implementedyet, enterprises would be allowed to “borrow” 2.6 GHz bandwidth. They would payfees for used frequencies so that they could ensure 4G service quality forcustomers.
Son said that the need for more network bandwidth was very urgent, whilethe 2.6 GHz bandwidth was left unoccupied, which could cause waste.
After the ministry’s bidding, the operator would return this bandwidth tothe ministry, he said.
The Ministry of Information and Communications had a plan to license the2.6 GHz band to allow telecommunications enterprises to deploy 4G networks andfour businesses have registered.
However, there are still many differing opinions among ministries andagencies on the process and procedures for licensing.
The losses to businesses and society from delaying 4G deployment was muchlarger than those from licensing, said Deputy Minister of Planning andInvestment Vu Dai Thang.
The online newspaper also quoted a representative of the Ministry ofNational Defence as saying that the licensing for the exploitation of the 2.6GHz bandwidth not only solved urgent problems for telecommunication enterprisesbut also ensured information work in security and defence activities.
At a recent meeting with the Ministry of Information and Communications,Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that it was urgent to allocate the rightsof using 2.6GHz bandwidth to telecommunication businesses to improve 4G servicequality and develop 5G.
A survey showed that 4G network speed in Vietnam ranked 75th in the world.
Le Van Tuan, deputy Director of the Authority of Radio FrequencyManagement also said that on the 2.6GHz bandwidth licensing, the Ministry ofInformation and Communications was seeking the Ministry of Finance’s opinion onasset valuation.
The Law of Bidding is the biggest obstacle to 4G band bidding.Telecommunication operators are only taking advantage of the bands that havebeen granted to 2G and 3G to provide 4G services.
Therefore, it is understandable for operators when they complained aboutthe lack of bandwidth and difficulties to ensure 4G quality provided tocustomers.-VNS/VNA
VNA
