‘Diamond’ waveband will allow 4G services at low cost Once Vietnam finishes implementation of the TV digitalization program, the 700 Mhz waveband will be free for broadband services. The frequency band, with optimal advantages in signal transmission, will allow 4G services at low costs to rural areas.   According to Doan Quang Hoan, Head of the Radio Frequency Department of the Ministry of Information and Communication, is determined to implement the TV digitalization program more quickly than initially planned. This is partially because once the implementation finishes, the 700 Mhz waveband will be free and it will be used for broadband services. “In other countries, the 700 Mhz waveband is ‘rare’ and ‘precious’. If other wavebands are considered ‘gold’, the 700 Mhz waveband will be ‘diamond’,” he explained. Hoan said that if the frequency band is put into operation, this will bring high benefits not only to the telecommunication sector, but to socio-economic development as well. With the optimal signal transmission capability, the waveband will provide 4G services in rural areas at low costs. Once Vietnam finishes implementation of the TV digitalization program, the 700 Mhz waveband will be free for broadband services.  With the current pace of the TV digitalization program, Hoan believes that the 700 Mhz frequency band can be exploited sooner than expected. “The freeing of bandwidth after TV digitalization was initially planned to finish by 2020. However, as the digitalization process in deltas goes sooner, we would be able to speed up the process so that we can use the frequency band in large cities prior to 2018,” Hoan said. Regarding the licensing to develop 4G services on 2600 Mhz waveband, Hoan said the Radio Frequency Department has submitted to the MIC’s leaders the draft document on the establishment of the frequency band auctioning council in accordance with the Prime Minister’s decision. The department has also drafted bidding documents to prepare for the auctioning of a waveband for 4G services. “If the waveband auctioning can be organized in 2016, telcos will be granted licenses to provide services soon. It will take them one year to prepare for service providing. As such, 4G services would be available by 2018 at the earliest,” Hoan said. Since MIC needs time to consider the policies to manage 4G network and issues relating to service quality management, service fees and network security, the licensing may be delayed. In the immediate time, Deputy Minister of MIC Phan Tam said the ministry has agreed to allow 4G services on 1800 Mhz waveband. “The telcos which got the licenses to try 4G on a trial basis will get the licenses to provide 4G services by the third quarter of the year, or the fourth quarter at the latest,” Tam said. The four telcos which got licenses to try 4G are VNPT, Viettel, MobiFone and FPT Telecom. Buu Dien