Viet Nam to shut down 2G network from mid-September

The complete shutdown aims at optimizing the frequency reserves to develop more modern telecommunication technologies, including 4G.

Specifically, the Authority of Telecommunications (AOT) under the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), citing Circulars 03/2024 and 04/2024 on the use of 900MHz/1800MHz wavebands, said that MIC won’t grant the wavebands again once the use expires on September 16, 2024.

The agency has requested telecom providers to ensure benefits of 2G subscribers if they want to be granted the 900MHz/1800MHz wavebands again.

However, in the first stage of 3G/4G deployment, when the VoLTE feature is still not integrated, the mobile phone models which have to make calls via 2G/3G will work until September 2026.

From September 2024 to September 2026, the 2G network will be maintained, but no more new subscribers will be developed.

As of September 2023, Viet Nam had 15 million 2G subscribers. In March this year, the telecommunications authority asked network operators to stop subscriptions of new 2G-only phones.

The 2G mobile network, first used in Viet Nam in 1993, become outdated and no longer able to meet users’ demand or keep up with the growth of telecoms services.

Telecom carriers are providing financial support to help subscribers buy smartphones, encourage clients to shift to smartphones to increase data revenue, and speed up national digital transformation.

Viettel Telecom for example has turned off 2G BTS in the areas with under 5 percent of users. It offers a 50 percent price reduction to clients who buy terminal devices and 100 percent fee exemption for 4G-supporting low-cost mobile phones.

Recently, the ministry officially licensed the deployment of 5G service on April 11, 2024. Two telecommunication service providers -- Viettel and VNPT -- have got business licenses and permissions to use the 5G band./.