Can Vietnam Successfully Launch Homegrown 5G Services?
2020-01-30
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1A Vietnamese company says it has been developing its own equipment to launch 5G mobile services nationwide.
2But some experts question whether the country has the ability to develop what it is claiming.
3The company, Viettel Group, announced earlier this month it is aiming to launch 5G services beginning in June.
45G is the next generation in wireless technology.
5The announcement came after Viettel - which is run by Vietnam's military - demonstrated a test video call carried over its 5G network.
6Top officials from the government and Viettel attended the demonstration event in Hanoi.
7The officials said the equipment and software used to make the 5G call was developed by Viettel over a six-month period.
8The company says it plans to develop both civilian and military services based on its own 5G equipment and network.
9Viettel declared that with its technology development, it had become the sixth company in the world to produce 5G network equipment.
10The other companies working on the technology include Huawei, Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung and ZTE.
11China-based Huawei is the world's largest telecommunications equipment supplier, capturing nearly 30 percent of the market.
12The company is a leader in 5G mobile networks and a top producer of smartphones.
13Huawei is currently working on building 5G systems in countries around the world.
14But in the United States, officials have urged American companies not to use Chinese technology, including Huawei equipment, in communications systems.
15The officials have expressed concerns about Huawei's links to the Chinese government, saying the company's network equipment could be used to help carry out spying activities.
16Huawei has rejected such accusations.
17The U.S. administration also placed a ban on American companies sharing technology with Huawei because of security concerns.
18It has also pressed other countries to ban Huawei from building 5G networks.
19Viettel's Chief Executive Officer, Le Dang Dung, told Bloomberg last August that the company had no plans to work with Huawei.
20"There were reports that it's not safe to use Huawei," Dung said at the time.
21"So Viettel's stance is that, given all this information, we should just go with the safer ones. So we choose Nokia and Ericsson from Europe."
22Viettel did not name Nokia and Ericsson as partners during its demonstration of the new 5G equipment.
23Dimitris Mavrakis is the research director for ABI Research and an expert on the worldwide telecommunications industry.
24He told VOA he is doubtful about Vietnam's new claims.
25"I would say that a home-developed 5G infrastructure is impossible. Not only improbable, but impossible. Because it is very difficult," Mavrakis said.
26If such a process was so easy, he noted, major American companies "like AT&T and Verizon would have done it as well."
27Mavrakis said among the biggest problems Vietnam would face creating such a system would be huge research and development efforts and costly patents covering 5G technology.
28He added that Viettel most likely does not have any patents for intellectual property rights relating to the technology.
29"And in fact, Viettel doesn't have a big enough research and development workforce in order to create this technology," Mavrakis said.
30"Even Huawei and Ericsson and Nokia had to spend billions to create this technology," he added.
31Murray Hiebert is a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
32He told VOA he is not surprised that Vietnam would be unwilling to cooperate with Huawei on its 5G development.
33This is because Vietnam has long felt pressure from China in a number of areas, particularly over issues involving the disputed South China Sea.
34Therefore, Vietnam is "very, very sensitive to letting Chinese technology be used for developing 5G in Vietnam, particularly Huawei," Hiebert said.
35However, he said he is not sure what to think about Vietnam's announced plans for homegrown 5G.
36"I guess I'm a little surprised that they're declaring they have reached this goal when others are still striving for that goal who have been working at it a lot longer and have more experience."
37Hiebert noted that Viettel has already expanded its telecommunications services to other Asian neighbors and beyond, and may want try to do this with 5G technology as well.
38"But whether that is realistic or not, I don't know," he noted.
39Hiebert said one reason he thinks Vietnam might have made the 5G announcement is to keep on a path of attempting to grow its international influence.
40The country takes over this year as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.
41Vietnam is also serving until 2021 on the United Nations Security Council.
42In addition, Vietnam is preparing for its next Communist Party National Congress in January 2021.
43Hiebert said Vietnam's announced 5G plans could be used in 2020 to help fuel political support both at home and abroad.
44"So it's a big political year and some leaders may want to show that they are actually very capable of delivering on the economic and security front."
45I'm Bryan Lynn.
1A Vietnamese company says it has been developing its own equipment to launch 5G mobile services nationwide. But some experts question whether the country has the ability to develop what it is claiming. 2The company, Viettel Group, announced earlier this month it is aiming to launch 5G services beginning in June. 5G is the next generation in wireless technology. 3The announcement came after Viettel - which is run by Vietnam's military - demonstrated a test video call carried over its 5G network. Top officials from the government and Viettel attended the demonstration event in Hanoi. 4The officials said the equipment and software used to make the 5G call was developed by Viettel over a six-month period. The company says it plans to develop both civilian and military services based on its own 5G equipment and network. 5Viettel declared that with its technology development, it had become the sixth company in the world to produce 5G network equipment. The other companies working on the technology include Huawei, Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung and ZTE. 6China-based Huawei is the world's largest telecommunications equipment supplier, capturing nearly 30 percent of the market. The company is a leader in 5G mobile networks and a top producer of smartphones. Huawei is currently working on building 5G systems in countries around the world. 7But in the United States, officials have urged American companies not to use Chinese technology, including Huawei equipment, in communications systems. The officials have expressed concerns about Huawei's links to the Chinese government, saying the company's network equipment could be used to help carry out spying activities. Huawei has rejected such accusations. 8The U.S. administration also placed a ban on American companies sharing technology with Huawei because of security concerns. It has also pressed other countries to ban Huawei from building 5G networks. 9Viettel's Chief Executive Officer, Le Dang Dung, told Bloomberg last August that the company had no plans to work with Huawei. "There were reports that it's not safe to use Huawei," Dung said at the time. "So Viettel's stance is that, given all this information, we should just go with the safer ones. So we choose Nokia and Ericsson from Europe." 10Viettel did not name Nokia and Ericsson as partners during its demonstration of the new 5G equipment. 11Experts question claims of 5G 12Dimitris Mavrakis is the research director for ABI Research and an expert on the worldwide telecommunications industry. He told VOA he is doubtful about Vietnam's new claims. 13"I would say that a home-developed 5G infrastructure is impossible. Not only improbable, but impossible. Because it is very difficult," Mavrakis said. If such a process was so easy, he noted, major American companies "like AT&T and Verizon would have done it as well." 14Mavrakis said among the biggest problems Vietnam would face creating such a system would be huge research and development efforts and costly patents covering 5G technology. He added that Viettel most likely does not have any patents for intellectual property rights relating to the technology. 15"And in fact, Viettel doesn't have a big enough research and development workforce in order to create this technology," Mavrakis said. "Even Huawei and Ericsson and Nokia had to spend billions to create this technology," he added. 16Murray Hiebert is a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. He told VOA he is not surprised that Vietnam would be unwilling to cooperate with Huawei on its 5G development. This is because Vietnam has long felt pressure from China in a number of areas, particularly over issues involving the disputed South China Sea. 17Therefore, Vietnam is "very, very sensitive to letting Chinese technology be used for developing 5G in Vietnam, particularly Huawei," Hiebert said. However, he said he is not sure what to think about Vietnam's announced plans for homegrown 5G. 18"I guess I'm a little surprised that they're declaring they have reached this goal when others are still striving for that goal who have been working at it a lot longer and have more experience." 19Hiebert noted that Viettel has already expanded its telecommunications services to other Asian neighbors and beyond, and may want try to do this with 5G technology as well. "But whether that is realistic or not, I don't know," he noted. 20Hiebert said one reason he thinks Vietnam might have made the 5G announcement is to keep on a path of attempting to grow its international influence. 21The country takes over this year as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. Vietnam is also serving until 2021 on the United Nations Security Council. In addition, Vietnam is preparing for its next Communist Party National Congress in January 2021. 22Hiebert said Vietnam's announced 5G plans could be used in 2020 to help fuel political support both at home and abroad. 23"So it's a big political year and some leaders may want to show that they are actually very capable of delivering on the economic and security front." 24I'm Bryan Lynn. 25Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. 26We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 27_____________________________________________________________ 28Words in This Story 29network - n. a system permitting people to communicate and share information through the internet using a computer or mobile phone 30stance - n. an opinion or belief about something 31doubtful - adj. unsure 32infrastructure - n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) needed for an area to operate 33patent - n. a legal right a person or company receives to make or sell a product 34intellectual property - n. property such as inventions, research and media that carry rights for the owner to use, sell or gain from the property 35strive - v. try very hard to do something 36capable - adj. able to do something 37deliver - v. to achieve something that was promised to do