MobiFone’s three decades of dedication

MobiFone plays an essential role in Vietnam’s information infrastructure

Facing unprecedented challenges in a rapidly changing digital landscape, MobiFone has emphasised enhancing service quality and customer-centricity. After 30 years in business, the company boasts nearly 100,000 BTS stations.

Concurrently, MobiFone has seamlessly integrated 5G technology into its repertoire, spearheading commercial broadcasts and ensuring expansive 5G coverage in strategic locales with nearly 100 broadcasting stations.

Ranked among the Top 100 most valuable telecom brands globally by Brand Finance 2023, MobiFone has shifted its focus from traditional telecommunications to emerging digital services.

The company’s forward-thinking strategy is evident in its expansive digital ecosystem, offering solutions like mobiEdu for digital education, smart radio broadcasting, digital healthcare, digital finance through e-wallets, and MobiFone Money.

These digital forays cater to Vietnamese customers’ evolving needs, positioning the country as a contender in the global digital race. Nguyen Long Hai, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Central Agencies, noted, “MobiFone’s essential role in advancing Vietnam’s information infrastructure and digital transformation has been invaluable, deftly addressing the telecom and IT imperatives of both individuals and businesses.”

Established in April 1993, MobiFone - initially known as the Mobile Information Company - represented a pivotal point in Vietnam’s telecommunications history. The company’s inception heralded a new era of connectivity in the nation. Not resting on its laurels, MobiFone sought international collaboration with Sweden’s top telecoms group, Comvik/Kinnevik, in 1995.

Such a partnership leveraged foreign capital and expertise, laying the foundation for infrastructure development, business strategy formulation, and the establishment of a unique corporate culture. The decade-long collaboration with Comvik was deemed one of the most successful and efficient business cooperation contracts in Vietnam.

Armed with the slogan “Anytime – Anywhere,” MobiFone’s footprint has grown significantly, influencing generations of Vietnamese consumers. From the outset, MobiFone prioritised customers, introducing pioneering initiatives to enhance customer experience. The Long-Term Connection programme, for instance, stands out as a comprehensive and reputable customer care initiative, further fortifying MobiFone’s reputation. MobiFone’s business results in its first year were particularly notable considering Vietnam’s challenging economic conditions at the time. Over the following decade, the company maintained steady growth, with total revenues between 2012 and 2021 reaching $14.72 billion and contributions to the state budget exceeding $2.1 billion.

“MobiFone’s consistent performance underscores its dedication to the nation’s socioeconomic development,” observed Nguyen Hoang Anh, member of the Central Party Committee and chairman of the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises (CMSC).

From a mobile telecommunications company, in recent years, MobiFone has gradually transformed into a digital technology enterprise, offering a diverse range of high-quality digital services, especially in digital technology and Internet of Things connectivity.

These trends have had a significant impact on the domestic telecommunications industry, which was already saturated in mobile telecommunications. In response to the government’s call for a national digital transformation, MobiFone is actively transitioning to become a key player in the national digital transformation. The company aims to lead in building digital infrastructure and laying the foundation for the digital economy’s growth, a crucial contributor to the nation’s future GDP growth.

“MobiFone, over its history, has significantly contributed to the mobile telecommunications industry and the nation,” said Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications (MIC). “As the industry shifts towards digital infrastructure, MobiFone needs to position itself strategically, harness modern technologies, and use advanced tech to address minor issues while providing substantial value.”

Based on the core pillars of customers, products, technology, operations, and capabilities, MobiFone has set specific goals for 2025, focusing on constructing a robust digital ecosystem that anticipates and addresses customer needs in the digital economy and digital life. This initiative aims to save time and costs, reduce drawbacks, boost operational efficiency for businesses, enhance the customer experience, and elevate their overall quality of life.

The company follows a structured approach during its transformation journey, setting clear short-term and long-term goals for each stage. This involves mid-term plans, model projects, and extensive restructuring in areas like organisation and personnel.

Nguyen Hong Hien, MobiFone’s chairman of the Board of Directors, acknowledges the significant role of the Party, state leadership, and the ministry in shaping the company’s current accomplishments.

“In different social contexts and eras, there are challenges. Not every business can easily find the right path. For MobiFone, the timely and strategic attention from the Party Committee of the Central Agencies, the CMSC, and the MIC has helped the company quickly adapt, seize opportunities, overcome difficulties, and grow strongly,” Hien said.

MobiFone to be first ICT operator licensed to deploy mobile money in Vietnam MobiFone has just become the first Vietnamese telecommunications operator to be granted permission to trial the provision of mobile money services across the country, with the pilot term lasting until November 18, 2023.

MobiFone preparing for all benefits with 5G lift-off MobiFone, one of the biggest mobile network operators in Vietnam, is gearing up preparations for 5G commercialisation to tap into future benefits. Deputy general director Bui Son Nam talked to VIR’s Bich Thuy about 5G trials and future infrastructure plans.

MobiFone pilots high-speed 5G services in Hue using Ericsson’s Spectrum Mobifone on August 18 launched a 5G commercial trial in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue as part of the plan to expand its 5G coverage nationwide.