Overview of Viettel
Viettel (Vietnam Military Telecommunications Company) is the largest telecom operator in Vietnam, affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam. It is a state-owned multinational telecommunications and technology group. Viettel holds a 56.2% share of the mobile market in Vietnam and operates in 11 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It serves over 270 million users globally and is one of the most influential telecom operators in Southeast Asia.
Viettel's 5G reaches 95% of Vietnam's provincial capitals and carries smart-city, Industry 4.0, and digital-agriculture traffic. The overseas company, Viettel Global, has already deployed IoT in several of those foreign markets.
Basic Information of Viettel
- Establishment Date: June 1, 1989 (originally the Electronics and Information Equipment Company)
- Headquarters: Hanoi, Vietnam
- Nature: State-owned enterprise under the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam
- Vietnam Mobile Users: Market share 56.2% (2024)
- Overseas Users: About 56 million (market in 10 countries, leading in 7 countries)
- Total Global Users: Over 270 million
- Revenue in 2024: About 190 trillion VND (about 7.47 billion USD)
- Profit Before Tax in 2024: About 51 trillion VND (about 2.01 billion USD, record high)
- Network Standards: 4G LTE, 5G NR, NB-IoT
Development History and Milestones
Viettel was formerly the Electronics and Information Equipment Corporation, established in 1989, initially engaged in the construction of communication equipment. In 1995, it obtained a mobile communication license and began entering the telecom operation field. In 2004, it launched the Viettel Mobile brand and rapidly gained market share with a low-price strategy. In 2009, Viettel surpassed VNPT to become the largest mobile operator in Vietnam and has continued to maintain a leading position to this day.
In terms of internationalization: in 2006, it entered Cambodia (Metfone); in 2009, Laos (Unitel); in 2010, Haiti (Natcom); in 2012, Peru (Bitel); in 2014, Mozambique (Movitel); in 2015, Tanzania (Halotel); in 2018, Myanmar (Mytel). Viettel ranks first in 7 out of 10 overseas markets, with international revenue maintaining double-digit growth for nine consecutive years.
In terms of technological evolution: in 2024, Viettel completed the deployment of the 5G network, covering 95% of provincial and city capitals in Vietnam; in the same year, it completed the migration of 2G users to 4G and shut down the 2G network in September; it built the ADC submarine cable system connecting Vietnam with China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Viettel has grown from a construction company into a large comprehensive enterprise spanning telecommunications, IT, defense manufacturing, and cybersecurity.
Core Technical Capabilities
5G Wide Coverage
The 5G network covers 95% of provincial and city capitals in Vietnam, providing high-speed connectivity for industrial IoT and smart cities.
Cross-border operations
Network coverage in 11 countries, providing unified IoT connectivity management for cross-border logistics and export equipment.
Defense-grade security
As a defense-owned operator, it supplies government and critical-infrastructure IoT with a high security requirement
Submarine optical cable
Submarine cables like ADC connect East Asia, supporting low-latency cross-border data transmission
Network standards and coverage
| Technical Standard | Coverage | Use Cases | Development Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | Nationwide in Vietnam and overseas markets | Mainstream IoT Connection | Main Network |
| 5G NR | 95% of provincial and municipal capitals in Vietnam | Industrial IoT, Smart Cities | Continuous expansion |
| NB-IoT | Deployment in major cities | Smart metering, sensors | Commercial deployment |
| 2G | Closed (September 2024) | — | Network Withdrawn |
Overseas Market Layout
Viettel Global operates in 10 overseas markets, with 7 of them ranking first: Cambodia (Metfone), Laos (Unitel), Timor-Leste (Telemor), Haiti (Natcom), Peru (Bitel), Burundi (Lumitel), Tanzania (Halotel). Additionally, it has important presence in markets such as Mozambique (Movitel) and Myanmar (Mytel). There are approximately 56 million overseas users, and international revenue is expected to reach 3.34 billion USD in 2025, achieving double-digit growth for nine consecutive years.
Industry Solutions
Smart city
- Intelligent Traffic Management
- Public Safety Monitoring
- Environmental quality monitoring
- Smart Lighting Control
Industrial Manufacturing
- 5G factory private network
- Remote equipment monitoring
- Predictive Maintenance
- Asset tracking and positioning
Agricultural digitalization
- Precision Agriculture Sensors
- Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring
- Agricultural Product Traceability
- Smart Irrigation System
Cross-Border Logistics
- Cross-border Fleet Management
- Container Tracking
- Cold Chain Monitoring
- Cross-border eSIM
Competitive Advantages
- Market Leadership: Vietnam with 56.2% market share, the widest domestic network coverage
- Cross-border Capability: Operational experience in 11 countries, suitable for exporting equipment and cross-border IoT deployment
- 5G coverage: ahead in Vietnam, with 95% of provincial and city capitals already on air
- State-Owned Background: Advantages of government and defense project cooperation, ensuring security and compliance
- 2024 results: profit at a record high, with continued spending on the network
Service Support System
Enterprise services
- Dedicated Enterprise Account Manager
- IoT Solution Consulting
- Dedicated APN Configuration
- Cross-Border Connection Management
Technical capabilities
- SIM Lifecycle Management
- Traffic Monitoring and Alerts
- API integration support
- eSIM remote configuration
Overseas Support
- Viettel Global Multi-Country Coordination
- Cross-border roaming solutions
- Localized technical support
- Compliance and licensing consultation