Vietnam set a target to end 3G services in September 2028, giving operators more than four years to migrate a total of 38.2 million subscribers to 4G and 5G networks.

In a notification from the Ministry of Information and Communications, Vietnam Telecommunications Authority deputy director Nguyen Phong Nha said the move is designed to free spectrum for 4G and 5G services.

Market leader Viettel closed June with 3.9 million 3G subs, while Vinaphone had 15.1 million, Mobifone 10 million and Vietnamobile 9.2, GSMA Intelligence data showed.

Most mobile players in Taiwan, Japan and Australia recently shut down 3G services. Data from the research outfit showed 18 APAC operators completed or plan to close 3G networks in 2024, up from just three the previous year and seven in 2022.

Vietnam’s operators aim to discontinue 2G by September, with GSMA Intelligence estimating the four leading operators still have about 6 million 2G users.

Total mobile connections in the country reached 128.3 million at end-June. LTE subscribers accounted for 65 per cent of the total.

Major operators in Vietnam have been slow to launch commercial 5G service due a lack of spectrum, which was only allocated earlier in 2024 to Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone.

The three began testing commercial 5G services in 2019 in parts of the country’s two largest cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, using trial licences.