5G Coverage Expansion in Major Vietnamese Cities

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has set a goal for complete 5G coverage in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang by the year 2025. This new network, designed to be ten times faster than its 4G predecessor, aims to align with the standards found in developed nations.

During a recent conference, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung underscored the critical role that digital infrastructure, technology, and cybersecurity play in forming a contemporary financial hub.

As of now, only 20% of Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang is covered by 5G. The MIC is taking steps to close this coverage gap, with plans for telecom companies to enhance 5G availability throughout both cities within this year.

Minister Hung stated, “This progress will elevate the 5G networks in these areas to levels comparable to developed countries.”

He also identified the necessity for strong international connectivity to major financial centers like New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

At present, Vietnam has eight undersea international cable systems, but a strategy is in place to increase this number to 18 by 2030 to ensure secure global data connections.

He pointed out that the per capita cloud computing capabilities in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang fall short compared to their regional peers, with figures significantly lagging behind Singapore by 130 times and Thailand by three times.

Efforts are underway to attract investments in this domain, with new investors already engaged in the process.

The capacity of data centers also needs enhancement, as the largest facility in these cities operates at 15 MW. The Minister advocated for the creation of larger data centers, with capacities between 30 MW and 100 MW that meet global standards.

“It’s essential for both cities to prepare land, electricity, and water resources for these data centers, with an ideal start this year,” he encouraged.

Minister Hung also highlighted the urgent requirement for improved cybersecurity to safeguard financial data and transactions against potential cyber threats.

The MIC has committed to facilitating the development of modern, high-capacity, intelligent, and sustainable digital infrastructure in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang to support their aims of achieving world-class financial center status.