Saigon has become the first place in Vietnam to have 5G coverage.
On September 21, military-owned telecom group Viettel held a ceremony celebrating its first 5G broadcast in Ho Chi Minh City, Thoi Bao Tai Chinh reports. The telecom giant also announced that it will first operate the infrastructure for an Internet of Things (IoT) system in the city.
Viettel has finished installing 1,000 stations in the city that will guarantee full network coverage. However, the pilot program for the 5G network provided by the telecom company only covers Ward 12 of District 10. The company said it aims to commercialize the 5G network by 2020 and become the driving force for Vietnam to be a 5G technology pioneer on the global stage.
Viettel says it will extend the IoT system coverage to Hanoi within September and has plans to roll out the system for Da Nang after that. In two years, the company hopes to provide nationwide IoT coverage.
This move makes Viettel one of the first 50 network providers in the world to roll out 5G. The new technology promises superior speed, responsiveness and higher bandwidth compared to its predecessors, such as 3G and 4G.
In certain locations and groups, there are concerns regarding the health risks from radio-frequency energy transmitted by 5G base stations. On the very same day that Viettel announced its first 5G broadcast, thousands of people in Bern, Switzerland protested against 5G installment over the above-mentioned health risks. However, there is currently insufficient conclusive scientific research to prove the potential danger of 5G stations.
