VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam will develop 4G (fourth generation) technology this year and grant 4G licences in 2016.

Since 2009, Vietnam has invested in development of 3G (third generation) technology. After five years of implementation, the number of 3G subscribers increased from 7 million in 2009 to nearly 29 million in January 2015, accounting for nearly one-third of the total population, according to the Department of Telecommunications. The number of subscribers continues to increase dramatically.

The 3G technology covers all 63 provinces in the country, even islands and remote areas. The quality of 3G services has also improved significantly, reaching 42 Mbps. Charges for 3G services have been slashed.

In 2012, 4G technology boomed and gradually replaced 3G technology. By late 2014, the world had more than 300 telecom firms in more than 100 countries providing 4G services. There were 61 providers in 25 countries in Asia.

In Southeast Asia, 4G services have been successfully developed in countries with advanced technology such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. In the countries in the Mekong sub-river basin, the 4G technology is still in a testing phase or has been just implemented.

Following the global trend, the Ministry of Information and Communications has chosen 2015 as the appropriate time to deploy 4G technology in Vietnam.

In that plan, the Ministry has decided to sponsor the International Data Group (IDG) ASEAN and the Vietnam Internet Association to organize the 4G LTE International Conference 2015 - Mekong Region.

Experts will focus the discussion on the issue of how to optimize technology and save costs while still building a standard 4G technology infrastructure and the development and management of digital content services based on a 4G platform.

The event will take place on March 26 in Hanoi.

Nam Son