Vietnamese state-run operator VNPT plans to conduct its scheduled IPO in 2019, in line with the government's instruction to complete an equitization process by this time.
The operator is laying the groundwork for the planned IPO and plans to find foreign, reputable IPO advisors for each component of the IPO plan, Vietnam News Servicereported.
VNPT aims to finalize its IPO porfolio and complete all required preparations in 2018 before conducting the IPO in 2019, but its timeline will be contingent on approvals and decisions from the prime minister and the telecoms ministry.
As part of a plan from the ministry, VNPT has restructured into three corporations – service provider VNPT VinaPhone, network operator VNPT Net and VAS provider VNPT Media.
Mobile operator MobiFone was separated from VNPT in 2014 and is also undertaking a privatization process that is expected to be complete in 2018, a year before VNPT's own equitization process.
The telecoms ministry has also approved a plan to establish a new corporation under VNPT's management that will focus on the development of software and hardware technology components for the government, such as smart city applications and products.