VietNamNet Bridge – Market insiders and experts are saying that now is not the right time for Vietnam to develop the fourth generation network for mobile and wireless communications.

Experts say that there was still a long way to go in developing the 3G network and it is too soon to make major investments into the infrastructure necessary for 4G. They added that firms should focus on recouping their investments in 3G, rather than wasting money that requires consumers to invest in new devices.

They said that granting permission to firms wanting to build 4G networks would depend on several factors, the most important being consumption capacity.

Yuan Song, general director of Huawei Vietnam said users were the decision makers in whether a 4G network was successful or not. If users want faster speed and better induction, they would be willing to accept a higher cost. “Therefore, a 4G network could lure a particularly large number of customers,” he added.

According to Song, Europe and China have developed 4G networks, but focused in urban areas and major cities. In China, 4G was first used on a large scale just last year. Naturally, in its early stages, prices would be high.

Throughout the world technology goes through stages, from experiment, to growth, to saturation, Song said, adding that 3G was only introduced in Vietnam in 2009 and was still in the fast growth stage.

Thieu Phuong Nam, general director of Qualcomm in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, said that while the world was converting to 4G, Vietnam’s 3G market share was still on the rise and therefore the country shouldn’t be in a hurry to update.

According to Nam, compared to other countries, particularly developed nations with 70-80 per cent, Vietnam’s number of 3G users is quite small. He emphasised that Vietnam’s service fees are the lowest in the world, while quality continuously improves. Soon the 3.5G network will be introduced throughout the country, and only then should 4G be considered.

Jan Wassenius, general director of Ericsson Vietnam said, “2015 is the most strategic time to begin developing 4G in Vietnam.”

Recently, Nguyen Bac Son, Minister of Information and Communications, said the ministry was researching the appropriate time to launch 4G in the market. While the plans say next year, he asserted that the market would set the time.

In late 2010, the ministry supplied five test certificates for 4G to VNPT, CMC, FPT and VTC.

Source: VIR