Viettel to launch 4G in April
Vietnam’s largest mobile operator Viettel, with 51 million subscribers, is preparing to launch 4G service next month, making it the second operator to roll out a commercial LTE network in the country.

The military-run operator, which has a 37 per cent market share, has deployed 16,000 4G base stations and expects to expand that number to 25,000 by the end of April, Viet Nam News reported.

The Ministry of Information and Communications issued 4G licences to Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone in October.

Chinese viewing longer-length video on handsets
Chinese mobile users spend more time watching videos on smartphones than other connected devices, including connected TVs and computers, according to a survey by Strategy Analytics.

The research firm found that the type of content watched on a smartphone by Chinese consumers is becoming similar to what they used to only watch on devices with a larger display – longer content including movies, TV series, and variety shows.

Consumers in the mainland also showed a strong willingness to pay for video content due to an increasing lack of free content in the country.

3 Indonesia expands LTE to 227 cities
Hutchison 3 Indonesia, the third largest operator in the country, expanded is LTE coverage to 227 cities and districts on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Java and Bali.

The operator, with 66 million mobile connections and an 18 per cent market share, said its LTE service now reaches 25 provinces. It had just over two million 4G customers at the end of 2016. 2G users still account for more than half of its subscribers.

Taiwan sets up IoT alliance
The Taiwan government established a cross-industry alliance to promote Internet of Things (IoT) applications and smart city solutions.

The Asia Silicon Valley Development Agency will focuses on eight areas: smart transportation, smart manufacturing, smart energy, smart commerce, smart home, smart agriculture, smart medical care and smart logistics.

Singtel partners with polytechnics
Singtel is partnered with Nanyang Polytechnic’s Singapore Institute of Retail Studies and Singapore Polytechnic to support SMEs in the retail, and food and beverage sectors develop their digital capabilities.

The initiative with Nanyang Polytechnic aims to help SMEs improve productivity, reduce costs, gain new revenue and scale their businesses, said Andrew Lim, MD of Singtel’s business group.

The partnership with Singapore Polytechnic is designed to help food and beverage companies to differentiate themselves and reach out to more online customers by digitising their businesses.