Combining internal strength and international technology

Recently, Light Reading, the world's leading telecommunications technology site based in the US, published a prominent article titled "Vietnam has become a big deal for Qualcomm in 5G RAN", emphasizing the increasingly important role of Vietnam, especially Viettel, in the global 5G ecosystem.

Light Reading commented that Viettel is currently one of Qualcomm's strategic partners on the journey to commercialize 5G radio access networks (RAN) based on open architecture (Open RAN). Viettel High Tech, with its core software development capacity for 5G, has become a key link in creating a "Make in Vietnam" 5G network, where software developed by Viettel is combined with low-latency acceleration hardware from Qualcomm.

Viettel is currently one of Qualcomm's strategic partners on the journey to commercialize the 5G Open RAN network.

Another notable point is that Vietnam, with its young workforce and open research and development mechanism, is increasingly attracting many technology “giants”. In that context, Viettel has the advantage of possessing a large scale and strong human resources, along with a widespread infrastructure network. Light Reading quoted Gerardo Giaretta, General Director of Qualcomm’s 5G infrastructure division, as saying: “They have an internal development team and a group of talented engineers who are hungry for success”.

With a strategy focusing on developing domestic technology combined with using solutions from major technology partners such as Qualcomm, Viettel is being evaluated as one of the network operators with a unique and bold approach in the process of deploying 5G. Light Reading commented that Viettel's 5G deployment stands out because it is a rare example of a network operator developing its own network technology, with most of the network operating software coming directly from Viettel High Tech, Viettel's main R&D unit. This is a step ahead of the common deployment trend of most other network operators.

Opportunity to expand internationally

Also referring to the actual deployment of 5G technology by Viettel, Nigerian media assessed that the cooperation between Viettel High Tech and Casade Defense Systems (a leading Nigerian enterprise) in deploying the first 5G private network in the country will open up an era of unprecedented high-speed, modern and stable Internet connection for Nigerians.

Business Africa Digest quoted Casade Defense Systems Chairman, Professor John Ifediora, as saying that Viettel’s 5G Private solution is now available in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. At the same time, he emphasized that this advanced technology is ready to expand globally, with a focus on Africa, especially remote areas, coastal areas or communities without Internet service in Nigeria. Africa can fully utilize this technology to narrow the digital divide, promote economic growth and improve industrialization capacity.

The article on Light Reading also emphasized that Viettel's success in Vietnam could become an international launching pad for Viettel itself and Qualcomm. Viettel is currently operating in many countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Mozambique and Peru, where 5G networks have not been widely deployed. This is considered an opportunity for Viettel to replicate its self-developed 5G model in many new markets.

Viettel's 5G network equipment has the opportunity to expand into the international telecommunications market

Sharing Viettel's journey to master Open RAN and 5G technology at the recent GSMA Digital Nation Summit in Vietnam, Mr. Tran Van Tung, Deputy Director of Viettel High Tech Broadband Radio Center, said that initially, Viettel only developed 4G infrastructure, but with a clear orientation, the team quickly moved to research and develop 5G since 2018. Although not an early operator, Viettel High Tech is one of the pioneers in R&D of core technology. Open RAN is not only a technical solution but also a platform for cooperation between network operators, businesses, research institutes and the government. Thanks to the support from Qualcomm and many technology partners, Viettel High Tech has early access to modern chipsets and is one of the leading Open RAN manufacturers globally.

Previously, at the announcement ceremony of the commercialization of Viettel's 5G Open RAN station held at the end of 2024, Viettel High Tech General Director Nguyen Vu Ha also emphasized that Viettel High Tech has completed the portfolio of complete 5G solutions from core network to radio blocks (RAN). Accordingly, Viettel High Tech will gradually penetrate the global market. The Vietnamese market will be the foundation for 5G products "Made by Viettel" to go further into the world.

“According to the plan, 2,000 5G Open RAN stations will be deployed in 2025 in Vietnam. Along with the domestic market, Viettel High Tech will actively promote 5G products internationally, including India and potential markets such as the Middle East in the future,” said Mr. Nguyen Vu Ha.

According to Mr. Nguyen Vu Ha, many telecommunications companies produce wireless networks following the Open RAN trend, but the number of companies that master everything from baseband processing to radio processing, compatible with Open RAN like Viettel High Tech is not much. Thanks to that, Viettel High Tech is fully capable of customizing products and providing according to customer needs.

DUC THO

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/viettel-va-hanh-trinh-dua-cong-nghe-5g-open-ran-ra-the-gioi-post792020.html