No changing frequency

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The decision will be issued in the second quarter this year. Accordingly, companies will only be allowed to transfer their frequency to the other firms after operating their telecom network for a period of at least three years. Frequency bidding will be regulated by the prime minister.

Doan Quang Hoan, director of Radio Frequency Directorate, said the draft decision aimed to implement the Telecom Law on radio frequency usage rights transfer and bidding.

“The regulation in the draft aims to prevent Vietnam from frequency speculation as well as prohibit current mobile operators from transferring their rights,” said Hoan.

“Frequency for 4G, for instance, will be available in Vietnam and after re-zoning frequency we will grant more usage rights,” added Hoan.

Pham Hong Hai, director of Telecom Department, said the country is allowing five operators to run on a trial basis of LTE (Long Term Evolution) FDD at 2.5-2.69 GHz others for piloting Wimax at 2.4-2.4 GHz. 

“The Telecom Law does not forbid telecom licence transfer, meaning that operators can sell their telecom networks,” said Hai.

However, ratio frequency usage rights are the most important aspect for a mobile network to run, allowing for the acquisition of mobile operators in Vietnam.

The Radio Frequency Directorate has also completed its amended of zoning 2.3 Ghz and 2.5 Ghz for 4G development in Vietnam to submit to the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) before the ministry places it on the Prime Minister table.

Vietnam has nine mobile operators including seven operators and two licenced virtual mobile network operators (MVNO). Of which, Indochina Telecom MVNO is projecting to launch Wimax in the middle of this year. The services will be based on internet mobility instead of launching mobile services first.

The MIC granted licences for running LTE technology on a trial basis to operators VNPT Group, Viettel, FPT Telecom, CMC and VTC, at a spectrum of 2.5-2.69 GHz in August last year.