Vietnam aims to become the first country in Southeast Asia to put 5G into commercial operation in 2020, according to Japanese daily Nikkei.

Vietnamese telecommunication firms are working to select network devices to prepare for the testing of fifth generation (5G) mobile communications system, reported Nikkei.

Vietnam's military-run telecom group Viettel has invested in developing 5G equipment. 

Viettel is the biggest telecommunications company in Vietnam with about 66 million subscribers, accounting for half of the country’s telecom market share. The firm is testing the 5G network, while considering the possibility of using technologies of Nokia or Ericsson of Sweden for the process, said the newspaper. 

The firm has a significant presence in 11 countries and a customer base of more than 85 million subscribers across Asia and Africa.

The two other Vietnamese large telecom service providers - Vinaphone and Mobiphone - are also cooperating with Nokia of Finland and Samsung of the Republic of Korea to develop 5G networks, the paper cited Vietnamese media.-VNA