Vietnam’s Viettel has launched 4G services across Vietnam after completing a nationwide rollout in just six months.
The operator has now achieved 95% coverage with its 4G network, and officially launched services on Tuesday.
The network consists of 36,000 4G base stations using 4-transmit 4-receive (4T4R) technology to improve coverage and capacity, as well as around 320,000km of domestic fiber backbone.
According to the report, the network delivers average real-world speeds of 30Mbps to 50Mbps, but services will be provided for 40% to 60% cheaper than current 3G services.
Viettel also plans to offer 4G-capable smartphones for as little as 1.3 million dong ($57.17), and provide free 4G SIM exchanges.
Vietnam’s deputy prime minister Vu Duc Dam has praised Viettel for achieving the seemingly “impossible” task of launching 4G services nationwide in just six months, and expressed appreciation for the fact that the network incorporates hardware and software researched and produced domestically by Viettel’s engineers.