Vietnam begins testing mobile Wimax

Hanoi Times – The Ministry of Information and Communications has licensed four telecom companies, FPT Telecom, EVN Telecom, Viettel and VNPT, to experimentally provide mobile wireless broadband services (mobile Wimax) for o­ne year.

According to the licenses, FPT Telecom is allowed to use 2.3-2.4 GHz frequency in Hanoi and Hai Phong. EVN Telecom can use 2.3-2.4 GHz frequency in Hanoi and Dong Nai province; Viettel 2.3-2.4 GHz in Hanoi and Thai Nguyen; and VNPT 2.5 GHz in Hanoi, HCM City and Da Nang.

In early 2006, the Ministry of Post and Telematics (Ministry of Information and Communications now), licensed Viettel, VTC, VDC and FPT Telecom to test fixed wireless broadband services for o­ne year. The ministry planned to select three providers of fixed wireless broadband services in April 2007, after receiving reports from the four firms. However, the ministry didn’t select anyone.

Telecom firms said the tests were good but the Ministry said commercializing this technology in Vietnam depended o­n the price of equipment (mobile phones). At the time the tests finished (2007), the price of equipment was still high and the range of equipment was not diverse.