Vietnam-headquartered Viettel deployed an end-to-end 5G network in a district of the country’s largest metropolitan area, Ho Chi Minh City, using gear from Nokia.

In a statement, Nokia said it was able to deploy the network quickly by using the operator’s existing LTE footprint. It installed ten 5G base stations in the area and upgraded the entire infrastructure covering radio access, cloud packet core and transmission to the next-generation technology.

The companies said they will use the pilot to evaluate the spectrum used, coverage area and application of 5G before full commercialisation in 2020.

Tao Duc Thang, deputy general director of Viettel’s telecoms group, said: “The official broadcast of 5G in Ho Chi Minh City is an important milestone in Viettel’s strategy to make Vietnam one of the first countries in the world to commercialise 5G services.”

Together with Ericsson, the military-run operator in May demonstrated the first 5G connection in Vietnam. The operator, with a 41 per cent market share by subscribers, received a trial licence in January to use the 3.8GHz and 28GHz bands for tests in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and has already invested about $40 million in 5G.

Viettel CEO Le Dang Dung recently said it would not use 5G equipment from Chinese vendors, noting “reports that it’s not safe to use Huawei”.