On the heels of rival company Viettel's trial run in Vung Tau, Vinaphone has begun testing its 4G service in Saigon and Phu Quoc.
The telecommunications provider launched its 4G trial on January 18, according to BizHub. Interested customers were able to pick up free 4G SIM cards at six customer service points around the city. Though there is no mention of how long the trial will last, those testing the Vinaphone service are able to use 4G for the same price as 3G during the trial.
A Vinaphone official claimed the company's average 4G speed will be 10-20 times faster than 3G. Once the company receives permission, Vinaphone plans to build transceiver stations in major urban areas around the country, including Hanoi, Saigon, Da Nang and Can Tho.
While it's good news that mobile service providers plan to keep the cost of 4G services on par with Vietnam's current data package costs, Tech in Asia recently created an infographic comparison of data prices from across the region, and the results might be a little surprising.
By compiling data from government websites and mobile service providers in several Southeast Asian countries, Tech in Asia weighed the minimum wages and data package prices in 11 SE Asian nations. As it turns out, Vietnam's data packages are actually fairly pricey by comparison.
[Photo via Tuoi Tre, Infographic via Tech in Asia]
