Vietnam's VinaPhone has become the market's first operator to launch 4G services, commencing with a deployment providing full coverage of Phu Quoc Island.
The VNPT mobile subsidiary has deployed 100 4G base stations to provide total coverage of the island, Vietnam's Nhan Dan newspaper reported.
The operator plans to rapidly deploy 4G services in 2017, installing 21,000 base stations nationwide.
Pricing will be set at the same or in some cases lower rates than 3G services. The company will use the network for services including mobile TV and cloud video conferencing.
VinaPhone began commercial 4G trials in January, and was awarded a commercial license in the 1800-MHz band last month, along with MobiFone and Viettel.
Viettel has separately revealed plans to launch its own 4G services in the first quarter of next year, Vietnam News Service reported. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/science-it/166398/viettel-to-roll-out-vietnam-s-first-4g-service-early-next-year.html The operator is ready to deploy services nationwide following extensive testing in the province of Vung Tau.
According to the report, Viettel plans to differentiate by focusing on nationwide expansion, in contrast to deploying in major cities first. The company took a similar approach during it 2G rollout around a decade earlier.