The Ministry of Information and Communications has granted five licences to test the LTE technology - the latest standard in the mobile network technology – but only two firms have implemented the program. The Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) has granted five licences to test the Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology - the latest standard in the mobile network technology tree – but so far, only two firms have implemented the testing program.

The five licenced firms are: the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Viettel, FPT Telecom, CMC and VTC.

Only VNPT and FPT Telecom have announced to finalise installing base transceiver stations (BTS) for the test.

According to Vedomosti website, VNPT’s partner in this project is a Russian company named Antares. The Russian firm planned to initially invest $2 million in VNPT’s LTE network and test 15 LTE BTS in October 2010.

In the second phase, Antares will invest an additional $27 million in VNPT’s LTE network. Its total investment in this network may reach $400 million.

At the same time, FPT Telecom has installed four LTE BTS. However, it has not disclosed its partner and other details.

A major mobile network in Vietnam, Viettel, has not disclosed any information about its LTE test while VTC and CMC said that they will start the test in Hanoi and HCM City

According to MoIC’s Telecommunication Department Chief Pham Hong Hai, the five firms are allowed to test the new technology within a year. After that they will have to join an auction for LTE frequency and then apply for licences to building the LTE networks.

PV