The two sides aim to complete the world's first pre-commercial 6G voice call in early 2029 using a network system and equipment researched, developed, and manufactured entirely by Viettel.
Viettel remains committed to technological self-reliance
Viettel and Qualcomm are jointly researching, designing, developing, and manufacturing 6G base stations. Under the collaboration, Viettel is responsible for research, design, development, system integration, manufacturing, field trials, and product quality evaluation, while Qualcomm provides the underlying chipset technology platform. The two sides will jointly evaluate the interoperability between Qualcomm's 6G technology platform and products developed by Viettel, while also assessing product quality and optimizing performance under real-world operating conditions and deployment scenarios.
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Lt. Gen. Tao Duc Thang at the signing ceremony |
According to Lieutenant General Tao Duc Thang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Viettel Group, Viettel remains firmly committed to achieving technological self-reliance. To this end, Viettel's first pre-commercial 6G call must be conducted using a network system and equipment entirely researched, developed, and manufactured by the company itself. This objective reaffirms Viettel's long-term strategy of mastering the entire technology value chain, from research, design, and development to manufacturing, commercialization, and deployment on live networks.
Notably, while Qualcomm's previous strategic technology programs were typically launched in major technology hubs such as the U.S. and the Republic of Korea, the participation of Vietnam and Viettel in the company's 6G Early Access Program highlights Vietnam's increasingly important role in Qualcomm's strategy for developing next-generation technologies.
The initiative represents an expansion of the strategic partnership between Viettel and Qualcomm from 5G Open RAN to 6G research and development. 5G equipment developed by Viettel using Qualcomm's chipset platform has already been widely deployed across commercial networks. Their successful collaboration in 5G research, development, and commercialization has laid a solid foundation for advancing into the 6G era.
Reflecting on the partnership since 2022, Durga Malladi, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Technology Planning, Edge Solutions & Data Center, at Qualcomm Technologies, said Qualcomm has been particularly impressed by Viettel's achievements, especially its capability to independently research, develop, and commercialize radio access solutions, as well as its ability to deploy networks rapidly on a large scale.
He noted that these accomplishments have provided the foundation for Viettel to engage in 6G research and development from the earliest stage. Qualcomm is committed to continuing its support for Viettel throughout the research, testing, and development of the next generation of mobile networks, with the shared objective of positioning Viettel among Asia's pioneers in 6G deployment.
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Durga Malladi (in blue) meets with representatives of Viettel Group. |
Malladi also noted that Viettel's rapid commercialization of 5G Open RAN has become a valuable reference model for other mobile network operators. Qualcomm has introduced several international telecommunications companies, including Japan's Rakuten as well as operators from India, the U.S., and Europe, to learn from Viettel's experience in network research, manufacturing, and deployment.
Progressively mastering latest telecommunications technologies
In addition to research collaboration, Viettel and Qualcomm have agreed to continue working together to expand international markets for Viettel-developed 5G equipment across Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Qualcomm will continue leveraging its global network of mobile operators and industry partners, while Viettel will contribute its practical solutions and deployment expertise, enabling "Make in Vietnam" telecommunications products to gain broader access to international markets.
As the industry moves toward 6G, cooperation between Viettel and Qualcomm is expected to extend beyond radio access systems. 6G technology is being developed around an AI-native network architecture, in which artificial intelligence is embedded into the network from the foundational level. This opens opportunities for the two companies to expand their collaboration into high-performance computing, data center servers, sensing technologies, autonomous AI devices, and next-generation radio systems.
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An overview of the signing ceremony |
For Viettel, participating in 6G research from the earliest stage enables the group to stay aligned with the global technology development process while proactively researching, developing, and shaping the next generation of telecommunications network products.
This direction reflects Viettel's determination to progressively master the latest telecommunications technologies, in line with Vietnam's national strategy for science and technology development, innovation, digital transformation, and the advancement of 6G. Early investment in research not only strengthens Viettel's competitiveness but also lays the foundation for Vietnam to participate more deeply in the global technology value chain, allowing Vietnamese technology to advance alongside the world's leading innovations.
Translated by Quynh Oanh