VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Information and Communications has allowed FPT Telecom to test LTE technology in Hanoi and HCM City within one year.

FPT Telecom deputy general director Nguyen Van Khoa told VietNamNet that his company is choosing a partner to evaluate the testing time of the new technology.

In theory, LTE can reach download speeds of up to 100Mb/s and upload speeds up to 50Mb/s. Its popular name is 4G or fourth generation.

However, telecom experts said that this is pre-4G technology. The LTE technology that reaches speeds of up to 1Gbit/s is really 4G technology. However, the 4G technology will not come out until late 2010 or 2011.

The MoIC has permitted five companies to test WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) - technology that provides fixed and fully mobile internet access. The current WiMAX revision provides up to 40 Mbit/s with the IEEE 802.16m update expected to offer up to 1 Gbit/s in fixed speeds. They are Vietnam Data Communication (VDC), EVN Telecom, FPT Telecom, Viettel, and VTC. However, none of them has asked for a license to supply this service.

MoIC is also considering licensing Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) and Viettel to test the LTE technology.

Ha Phuong