Vietnam is about to turn off 2G signal

According to the Department of Telecommunications – Ministry of Information and Communications, Vietnam has a total of 125.7 million mobile subscribers, of which about 11.7 million subscribers do not use smartphones or do not connect to data on smartphones. To meet the conditions to turn off 2G signal, the number of subscribers using 2G is about 5%, equivalent to 6.28 million subscribers.

According to the Ministry of Information and Communications (TT&TT), this is a positive number, a premise for the Ministry to successfully implement the roadmap to turn off 2G signals from the beginning of 2023.

To replace 2G, the Ministry of Information and Communications has also licensed 3 enterprises to test 5G in 40 provinces. Specifically, Viettel 930 positions, VNPT (457 positions) and MobiFone (80).

The 5th generation mobile communication technology has been deployed by Vietnamese carriers for about 2 years now. However, the implementation progress has not met the expectations of users and the statement of the network operator. According to statistics of Ericsson Vietnam, by 2030, 5G will bring domestic operators 1.5 billion USD in revenue.

The 5G development roadmap of Vietnamese carriers has not been as expected

Regarding the plan to turn off 2G signal in Vietnam, the plan was approved by the Ministry from the end of 2019. At that time, the whole country had 125.5 million mobile subscribers, but there were still 60.8 million subscribers who did not use data. use calling and texting.

In recent years, the number of subscribers using 2G networks has decreased sharply. This is possible thanks to the Ministry’s application of technical fence solutions to promote the shutdown of 2G waves, freeing up bandwidth for national digital transformation.

The ministry issued Circular 43 stating that phones with only 2G, 3G or a combination of 2G – 3G will not be manufactured and imported into Vietnam. This regulation helps promote the universalization of smartphones with 4G and 5G support.

From 2020 up to now, the Ministry of Information and Communications has also forced carriers to turn off 2G waves and not re-grant frequencies for this technology when the license expires in 2024. At the same time, the Ministry provides policy support to carriers manufacturing equipment 4G terminal.

The network operators also piloted the shutdown in many localities across the country such as Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Da Nang, Thai Nguyen, Ba Ria – Vung Tau… Even, Lang Son was the first province to stop operating. operating all 63 2G broadcasting stations.

Nguyen Phong Nha, Deputy Director of the Department of Telecommunications, affirmed: “It is expected that the 2G network will be switched off from January 1, 2023 in some suitable areas, by September 2024, the whole country will turn off the 2G signal”.

Experts assess that the nationwide shutdown time in September 2024 is considered appropriate when the license for mobile telecommunications service business and the license for mobile network development frequency expires. The Ministry of Information and Communications did not renew the license for 2G and 3G technology. Therefore, the transition to new technology and equipment, stopping old technology is strongly implemented in this period.

Phones that only feature 2G, 3G or a combination of 2G – 3G are not manufactured and imported into Vietnam.

2G waves mainly operate in the frequency bands 850, 900, 1,800, 1,900 MHz. In Vietnam, 4G waves are sharing 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz bands with 2G. This is also the reason that negatively affects the speed of 4G. If released, the network speed of 4G could increase by 25% compared to the current one.

Therefore, after the 2G wave is turned off, operators are interested in how the 2G band planning policy (900 MHz, 1,800 MHz), will be allocated or auctioned. This is considered a great resource for telecommunications units to increase connectivity for subscribers.