Vietnam will be one of the first countries to deploy fifth-generation (5G) network, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized at the first-ever ASEAN Conference on 5G in Hanoi on March 22.

The conference is one of Vietnam's initiatives to promote regional coordination in policy, investment, technology, service and 5G application. 

Addressing the conference, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung stressed that the digital economy with new business models and methods is creating great opportunities for organizations and businesses.

From the beginning of 2019, Vietnam's Ministry of Information and Communications has granted frequency license for businesses to pilot 5G services in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam is currently focusing on developing tech enterprises and manufacturing Internet of Things (IoT) devices, telecommunications equipment, 5G chipsets, surveillance cameras and so on, said the minister.

Vietnam is willing to cooperate with ASEAN nations to establish joint ventures on information-communication technology and share know-how with other countries so that all ASEAN members can own national network security devices, Hung added.

“In the future, each ASEAN country will put out a number of initiatives, and when they are successfully carried out, it will be shared among the bloc,” Hung noted.

Minister Nguyen Manh Hung once again emphasized that ASEAN countries have a common perception that digital economy and 5G will help the bloc keep being a dynamic and innovative region.

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam highly valued the international conference on 5G. He stressed with the 5G’s speed, many problems will be handled over time.  

5G not only helps individuals to be faster and more creative, but also facilitates businesses to grasp more opportunities, Dam added.

The deputy PM said that ASEAN countries need to take the lead in 5G, instead of  being only the user of the technology as it happened with 2G, 3G and 4G.

At the conference, a Thai representative shared the initiative of Thailand 4.0, focusing on promoting high-tech industries using 5G infrastructure. In addition, the Thai government has set up a 5G test facility inside the eastern economic corridor, with the hope to promote innovation in the fields such as self-driving cars and remote control robots.

A representative from Singapore, the regional leader in the 5G network, said that Singapore Telecommunications has been cooperating with Ericsson to test the 5G network. Singtel telecommunications company is also working with Garuda Robotics on unmanned aircraft for security and package delivery.

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam affirmed that ASEAN is a prestigious organization in the Asia-Pacific region and in the international arena. Countries in the ASEAN community have always contributed to the world's peace and prosperity.

Dam believes that with the beginning of 5G technology, ASEAN nations can cooperate closely, share experiences with each other and with their partners to contribute more to 5G technology.

Hanoitimes