Viettel Group to use Nokia and Ericsson networking equipment for 5G

Viettel Group, which is the largest operator in Vietnam and owned by the Vietnamese Defense Ministry, will be choosing Nokia and Ericsson for the deployment of its 5G network. The info came from Viettel Chief Executive Officer Le Dang Dung who also stated that Ericsson will be setting up his equipment in Hanoi, while Nokia’s equipment will be running the 5G network of Ho Chi Minh City. Nokia and Ericsson were the vendors for Vittel Group’s 4G network, so this deal seems logical. But, the main reason for looking for networking equipment from European manufacturers is the avoidance of Huawei. Dung said that currently, it is much safer to go with Nokia and Ericsson than with Huawei. While the US-China trade war backed up with some long-time territorial disputes between China and Vietnam might be the cause for this decision, Dung said that the main reason is merely a technological one. Viettel Group is not the only one to be using Nokia’s networking equipment for 5G upgrade. The same will do Vietnam Telecom Services Company or Vinaphone who apparently chose Nokia to fully deploy its 5G network.

Source Bloomberg