Viettel, VNPT win Vietnam's first 5G spectrum auctions

Director General of the Authority of Radio Frequency Management Le Van Tuan (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The military-run telecom service provider Viettel and the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) have recently won Vietnam's first successful auctions for 5G spectrum licenses, Director General of the Authority of Radio Frequency Management Le Van Tuan told a monthly press conference held by the Ministry of Information and Communications in Hanoi on April 8.

In March, Viettel secured the rights to utilise the B1 band (2,500-2,600 MHz) for the next 15 years following a competitive bidding process that lasted for 24 rounds. This band offers Viettel a potential cost advantage compared to those acquiring the higher-frequency C2 (3,700-3,800 MHz) and C3 (3.800-3.900 MHz) bands. Additionally, the B1 band's versatility allows it to support both 4G and 5G networks.

The VNPT emerged as the winner for the C2 band after 17 rounds of bidding. This mid-range band is a coveted resource for major telecom companies globally thanks to its ideal combination of bandwidth, speed, latency and investment efficiency. The C2 band is well-suited for deploying the most advanced 5G network capabilities currently available.

The C3 brand was not auctioned due to a lack of bidders.

According to Tuan, these auctions have marked the first successful spectrum allocation in Vietnam's radio frequency field in 15 years./.