Qualcomm’s next steps for burgeoning 5G ecosystem

Last November, Viettel successfully deployed the world’s first 5G radio access network using Qualcomm’s ASIC chipsets. How is this advancement driving the development of next-generation 5G networks with an open architecture in Vietnam?

Nam Thieu, country director of Qualcomm Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia

Open RAN is currently a prominent topic in the cellular industry, as it involves the development of interoperable open hardware, software, and interfaces for wireless cellular networks. Therefore, Viettel’s successful deployment of the world’s first 5G base station adhering to Open RAN standards has significantly accelerated the development of next generation 5G networks with open architecture in Vietnam in several ways.

First is enhancing technological autonomy and reducing deployment costs. Utilising Open RAN standards facilitates the integration of hardware and software from diverse suppliers, reducing dependency on a few major providers. This strengthens technological autonomy and ensures cybersecurity for Vietnam.

Second is creating opportunities for domestic enterprises. The Open RAN approach is inherently designed to benefit developers by enabling the creation of new products that were once mere concepts. Consequently, it opens opportunities for domestic enterprises to join the 5G equipment and software supply chain, thereby promoting the growth of the local telecommunications industry.

Third is meeting new 5G demands. The Open RAN market is anticipated to surpass the traditional RAN market for the first time around 2027-2028. An open, disaggregated RAN is designed to provide operators with the flexibility needed to meet the demanding requirements of new 5G applications successfully.

Emerging verticals such as smart cities, Industrial Internet of Things, and autonomous vehicles have varied network demands for performance, capacity, and latency. Open RAN is intended to meet these needs at a more reasonable cost. To truly realise and facilitate the innovative directions developers are pursuing with advancements in areas like AI and natural language processing, the flexibility of Open RAN, coupled with the capacity of 5G, could be transformative.

Users are eager to experience more commercial 5G services. However, the nationwide rollout of 5G coverage will necessitate a gradual approach, taking into account several factors such as the deployment of 5G infrastructure, the availability and allocation of the necessary radio frequency spectrum, a clear and supportive regulatory framework endorsed by the government, and the economic feasibility of deploying and maintaining 5G networks for telecom operators.

Qualcomm expects collaboration with Viettel to help the company create groundbreaking technologies. How is this going?

The journey started with Viettel’s announcement to collaborate and develop a next-generation 5G radio unit and Distributed Unit using the Qualcomm X100 5G RAN Accelerator Card and Massive MIMO Qualcomm QRU100 5G RAN platform in May 2022. With strong support of Qualcomm teams, 10 months later at the Mobile World Congress 2023, Viettel unveiled prototypes of both.

After just next eight months, Viettel recently announced the deployment of 5G Open RAN network equipment on a live network with real users and data traffic. With live network results reaching 1,200Mbps, this is a strong validation of Open vRAN’s commercial readiness, marrying competitive performance with the cost and energy efficiency benefits of its architecture.

What is the market potential for businesses, including Qualcomm, once 5G is officially commercialised in Vietnam?

The commercialisation of 5G in Vietnam presents significant market potential for businesses, including Qualcomm. As 5G technology begins to be adopted more widely, we foresee transformative impacts across various industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, education, and agriculture.

For businesses, 5G will enable the development of new services and applications that leverage its high speed, low latency, and massive connectivity capabilities. This creates opportunities for innovation and growth, driving economic development and enhancing competitiveness.

For Qualcomm, Vietnam represents a strategic market with immense growth potential. Our next steps and goals in this market include collaboration with local partners, especially local telecom operators, device manufacturers, and technology companies to accelerate the deployment and adoption of 5G. By working closely with our partners, we can ensure that the infrastructure and devices are optimised for 5G connectivity.

Qualcomm is dedicated to fostering the growth of the local tech ecosystem, exemplified by one of our flagship programmes, the Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge (QVIC), held annually since 2019.

To date, QVIC has incubated 29 startups across various domains, including 5G connectivity, smart infrastructure, robotics, the Internet of Things, AI and machine learning, agricultural technology, hospitality, healthcare, and multimedia technologies such as AR/VR.

In collaboration with Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, QVIC empowers innovative small- and medium-sized companies with Qualcomm technology, intellectual property, and business expertise, while nurturing Vietnam’s technology ecosystem.