Vietnam is determined to be a pioneer in rolling out fifth-generation (5G) services as 5G is the foundation and infrastructure for developing new technology applications, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at the Ministry of Information and Communications’ review conference on December 28.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the Ministry of Information and Communications’ review conference. Photo: Zing

“We are excited to see the successful 5G pilot live streaming and are pleased when Vietnamese businesses can produce 5G equipment. Currently, only five countries in the world can do this, so this is a very praiseworthy success,” said the PM.

Besides, Phuc said the system of network information security and safety in Vietnam has made progress., and the IT enterprises have developed remarkably.

Regarding the task of building e-government, smart cities and preparing digital citizens, the PM said that it should be done methodically. “E-government is a breakthrough, it is now transformed in the direction of serving people, creativity and development. This is the right direction which needs to be paid more attention to,” Phuc emphasized.

He noted this is the responsibility of the Ministry of Information and Communications in carrying out task, although this is a long-term strategy and cannot be done quickly.

The head of the government referred to the four tigers as the symbol of Asia's rise and asserted that "Vietnam can be the fifth tiger.”

In particular, the PM said the name of the Ministry of Information and Communications should be changed and suggested it should be the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

Earlier, in November 2018, Information and Communication Minister Nguyen Manh Hung said at a conference that Vietnam should test 5G in 2019 and ensure nationwide coverage by 2020.

On September 21, 2019, Vietnam's Telecom giant Viettel made the first 5G broadcast from its network of 5G base stations in Ho Chi Minh City.

"The official broadcast of 5G in Ho Chi Minh City is an important milestone in Viettel’s strategy to make Vietnam one of the first countries in the world to commercialize 5G services," VnExpress quoted Viettel deputy director Tao DucThang as saying.

Military-run Viettel installed the first 5G station in Hanoi in early 2019 and made the first 5G phone call in May. It was the first firm in the country to receive permission to pilot 5G services in January, followed by MobiFone.

5G is said to offer speeds 100 times faster than 4G, primarily used for smartphones and other similar devices. 5G is also expected to support new applications like remote medical procedures and autonomous driving.