Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam isplanning to start completely switching off the 2G network from December 2023 tomake room for more modern telecommunication technologies to develop.
The 2G mobile network, first used inVietnam in 1993, has become outdated and no longer able to meet users’ demandor keep up with the growth of telecoms services.
Given this, the Authority of Telecommunicationsunder the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), is planning to completelyswitch off the 2G network.
Director of the authority NguyenThanh Phuc said his agency has held meetings with telecoms service providers inVietnam, and they pledged to start locking 2G-only devices from December 2023.
According to its document issued onSeptember 27, 2022, the MIC has moved to disable the 2G network nationwide. Serviceproviders have also designed technical solutions to eliminate 2G and 3G-onlydevices.
Thecomplete switch-off is aimed at optimising the frequency reserves to developmore modern telecommunication technologies, including 4G.
The MIC has provided guidance totelecoms service providers in building roadmaps and plans for turning off 2G service and helping users switch to 4G and 5G networks. It targets that the number of2G mobile subscriptions will decline to about 6 million, or less than 5% of thetotal, by the end of 2023 and this network will be completely shut down in2024.
Data of service providers show thatthere were more than 26 million 2G mobile subscriptions, equivalent to 20% ofthe 126 mobile subscriptions nationwide, at the start of 2023. It fell to about23 million as of August.
The switch-off of 2G service has been carriedout in many countries such as Japan (2011), Singapore (2017), and China (2021).
As of October 2022, 142 telecomsservice providers in 56 countries and territories made plans to shut down 2Gand 3G networks, and 51 of them turned off 2G service, according to the Global MobileSuppliers Association./.
The 2G mobile network, first used inVietnam in 1993, has become outdated and no longer able to meet users’ demandor keep up with the growth of telecoms services.
Given this, the Authority of Telecommunicationsunder the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), is planning to completelyswitch off the 2G network.
Director of the authority NguyenThanh Phuc said his agency has held meetings with telecoms service providers inVietnam, and they pledged to start locking 2G-only devices from December 2023.
According to its document issued onSeptember 27, 2022, the MIC has moved to disable the 2G network nationwide. Serviceproviders have also designed technical solutions to eliminate 2G and 3G-onlydevices.
Thecomplete switch-off is aimed at optimising the frequency reserves to developmore modern telecommunication technologies, including 4G.
The MIC has provided guidance totelecoms service providers in building roadmaps and plans for turning off 2G service and helping users switch to 4G and 5G networks. It targets that the number of2G mobile subscriptions will decline to about 6 million, or less than 5% of thetotal, by the end of 2023 and this network will be completely shut down in2024.
Data of service providers show thatthere were more than 26 million 2G mobile subscriptions, equivalent to 20% ofthe 126 mobile subscriptions nationwide, at the start of 2023. It fell to about23 million as of August.
The switch-off of 2G service has been carriedout in many countries such as Japan (2011), Singapore (2017), and China (2021).
As of October 2022, 142 telecomsservice providers in 56 countries and territories made plans to shut down 2Gand 3G networks, and 51 of them turned off 2G service, according to the Global MobileSuppliers Association./.
VNA
