Sharing infrastructure will help Vietnamese network operators reduce investment costs while accelerating the progress of 5G coverage.
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Recently, the telecommunications sector has witnessed profound infrastructure cooperation agreements among mobile network operators. This coordination has just been taken to another level when recently, witnessed by the Authority of Telecommunications (Ministry of Information and Communications - MIC), three carriers - Viettel, VNPT, and MobiFone - signed an agreement to pilot the sharing of 5G networks.
The agreement focuses on two crucial solutions: piloting mobile roaming and piloting Multi-Operator Radio Access Network (MORAN) sharing.
Previous agreements on sharing and jointly using telecom infrastructure mainly focused on passive infrastructure (stations, antenna masts, transmission lines, etc.). This is the first time Vietnamese carriers are piloting the sharing of telecom infrastructure at a higher level, such as active infrastructure and 5G radio access network equipment.
The pilot implementation is expected to contribute to a comprehensive evaluation of the necessary contents regarding both technical aspects and inter-network coordination mechanisms for 5G network deployment.
According to the Authority of Telecommunications, this agreement is significant in contributing to the early nationwide commercialization of the 5G network, ensuring urban aesthetics, and enhancing the infrastructure investment efficiency of the enterprises themselves. This agreement will certainly help accelerate the deployment of the 5G network on a national scale.
From a regional and international perspective, this is one of the first agreements on testing 5G infrastructure sharing. This coordination affirms the determination of the information and communications sector to bring Vietnam alongside leading countries in 5G.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, leaders of the Authority of Telecommunications highly appreciated the cooperation of telecom enterprises. The Authority requested the businesses to implement it proactively and effectively, on a cooperative and constructive basis, to achieve the best testing results, creating a favorable premise for future commercial exploitation.
As of the end of May 2021, Vietnamese network operators had deployed commercial 5G pilots and services in six provinces and cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Binh Phuoc, and Thua Thien Hue. The average 5G speed in Vietnam currently reaches 500-600 Mbps, ten times faster than 4G access speeds.
With the characteristic of using millimeter-wave frequency bands, the coverage area of a 5G BTS (Base Transceiver Station) only reaches a few hundred meters, compared to the 2-3km coverage radius of previous 2G/3G/4G stations. This reality requires the deployment and installation of a massive number of 5G base stations to achieve widespread 5G coverage. Therefore, deploying shared infrastructure and 5G station locations is highly necessary.
Previously, speaking at the 10th session of the 14th National Assembly, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized: "Vietnam is deploying 5G with the spirit of sharing infrastructure. The Ministry has requested enterprises to develop plans and will issue regulations on sharing 5G infrastructure, including the sharing of equipment."
Source: Trong Dat - https://vietnamnet.vn/vn/cong-nghe/vien-thong/viettel-mobifone-vinaphone-phoi-hop-thu-nghiem-dung-chung-mang-5g-740891.html