Samsung starts commercial 5G trials in Vietnam

Tech giant Samsung and operator Viettel have begun 5G commercial trials in Da Nang, central Vietnam.

Samsung has provided its latest baseband unit and 64T64R Massive MIMO and mid-band spectrum radios for the commercial trial in the central region’s largest city. The moved is pitched as a modernisation effort for the city of Da Nang, and is the first time the two firms have collaborated in Vietnam.

“Viettel has continued to prioritize building 5G infrastructure in key areas of the city,” said Tao Duc Thang, Deputy General Director from Viettel. “Viettel will join hands to make smart city development in Da Nang more synchronous and modern, to connect broadband in multi-dimensional and safe ways, ensuring best network infrastructure for digital government development, supporting for business and growth of Da Nang.”

Viettel claims to cover 97% of the Vietnamese population with its 4G infrastructure, and has so far introduced 5G to 11 provinces or cities (Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria–Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, Thua Thien–Hue and Da Nang).

The release also states that “people in these areas can experience 5G for free with unlimited capacity, on many 5G support devices.”

It’s not clear whether this is a phrasing blunder on the press release, or even if Viettel is merely offering free 5G upgrades with unlimited data contracts to its customers in Vietnam. If so, that’s certainly one way to ensure 5G adoption but it seems implausibly generous.

Last week Samsung announced a leadership reorganisation and a merging of the consumer electronics and mobile areas of the business into a newly created ‘SET division.’

We weren’t sure at the time what SET actually stood for – but that doesn’t matter anymore as the Korean tech giant has today announced it has officially named the newly merged SET Division as the DX (Device eXperience) division.

If you were wondering: “The naming reflects the company’s longer-term future-oriented business structure and stronger global leadership.”

The release also states: “Under the DX Division, the company expects to strengthen synergies among the diverse businesses and create differentiated products and services.” While that is about as generic a corporate statement as it is possible to make – but at least we know what DX means.