In a significant stride towards digital transformation, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has approved an ambitious plan to ensure comprehensive mobile broadband coverage across all national highways, expressways, industrial zones, and urban railways by 2025. 

This initiative, titled the "Plan to Enhance the Quality of Vietnam's Mobile Telecommunications Network by 2025," is set to revolutionize the country's digital infrastructure.

The primary goal of the plan is to improve the overall quality of Vietnam’s mobile telecommunications network, with a special focus on the commercialization of 5G services. This enhancement is expected to significantly elevate user experience for both individuals and businesses, thereby contributing to the growth of the digital economy, digital society, and e-government.

The Department of Telecommunications spearheaded the drafting of this plan, consulting various units within the MIC, provincial and municipal Information and Communications Departments, and major telecommunications companies such as Viettel, VNPT, and MobiFone.

A central target of the plan is to ensure a minimum average download speed of 40 Mbit/s for 4G Internet services at district and commune levels, as measured by the i-Speed application. Additionally, the plan aims to provide mobile broadband coverage to all remote villages and hamlets currently without service, ensuring uninterrupted coverage along major transport routes.

By 2025, Vietnam aims to achieve 100% mobile broadband coverage on all national highways, expressways, and three urban railway lines, ensuring no continuous loss of signal over 1 km. Moreover, the plan proposes discontinuing 2G-only mobile telecommunications services, except in specific remote areas like the Spratly and Paracel Islands and offshore oil rigs.

The plan also sets ambitious targets for the rollout of 5G services. By 2025, all provinces and cities are expected to have 5G coverage, with special emphasis on high-tech zones, information technology hubs, research and innovation centers, industrial parks, airports, and seaports. The average download speed for 5G Internet services is projected to reach a minimum of 100 Mbit/s in covered areas.

To achieve these goals, the plan identifies four key areas of focus and nine strategic solutions. The primary areas of focus include:

1. Expanding coverage and service quality

2. Enhancing network resilience and recovery

3. Enforcing management and quality monitoring of mobile networks and services

4. Fostering domestic cooperation to maximize resources

The nine strategic solutions include:

1. Effective management, monitoring, and quality measurement of networks and services

2. Promoting inter-sectoral cooperation to optimize resource use

3. Efficient spectrum auctioning and allocation

4. Phasing out old technologies and upgrading to new equipment

5. Developing passive telecommunications infrastructure

6. Encouraging shared use of infrastructure

7. Implementing public telecommunications services

8. Raising public awareness

9. Promoting the production of Vietnamese-made equipment

The Department of Telecommunications has been designated as the lead agency to coordinate the implementation of this plan. The department will collaborate with various MIC units to develop policies and resolve challenges faced by telecommunications companies in enhancing network quality. Additionally, provincial and municipal Information and Communications Departments and telecommunications service providers are expected to actively develop detailed action plans and allocate resources and funding to achieve the plan's objectives.

Van Anh