VNPT and FPT Telecom are the first mobile operators in Vietnam to trial their LTE networks, with the other three most likely to follow shortly — considering the fact that all five carriers in the country got LTE test licenses.
VNPT’s partner in the project is a Russian company called Antares, which plans to initially invest $2 million in the LTE network and test 15 LTE BTS. In the second phase, Antares will invest an additional $27 million in VNPT’s LTE network and will most likely spend up to $400 million in the whole project.
As for FPT Telecom, it has installed four LTE BTS thus far. We don’t have the details here, as they haven’t disclosed their partner(s).
Both companies will start tests in Hanoi and HCM City in the near future and will most likely bid for LTE licenses the minute they are available at some point next year.
So what’s the story here – why do we care about Vietnam’s mobile market? We do want to bring you the global picture, but the idea here is somewhat different. Uzbekistan of all places already has 2 (yes that’s TWO) LTE networks up and running and now Vietnam is gearing toward the launch. Don’t you love how modern technologies are impacting the digital divide with some of the emerging markets getting faster to 4G networks than the West? Hopefully, stories like this will push operators from all around the world to act faster as we all want the LTE speeds on our portable devices…
[Via: CellularNews]