Rita Mokbel, President of Ericsson Vietnam, says that 5G rollout by mobile operators will accelerate digital transformation in key sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, aviation, and seaports.

Ericsson was one of the earliest telecom equipment providers to enter Vietnam after the market opened. What have been your key contributions in the past 32 years?

Rita Mokbel: We recently inaugurated our new office in Hanoi, marking 32 years of partnership with Vietnam. Ericsson entered Vietnam in 1993 when the mobile network sector was just starting. Together with partners like MobiFone, VNPT, and Viettel, we helped lay the groundwork for 2G, and later 3G and 4G networks.

The mobile services boom in recent years has significantly impacted Vietnam’s socio-economic development. All three major Vietnamese carriers selected Ericsson as a 5G deployment partner. Beyond improved network efficiency, 5G brings entirely new business opportunities.

Our greatest achievement is the trust we have earned as a long-term, reliable partner. We also work closely with universities to train the next generation of innovators with knowledge in 5G, cloud computing, and new technologies, enabling them to bring fresh ideas to Vietnam's economy.

Viettel, VNPT, and MobiFone have all announced strategies to become digital service providers. How is Ericsson supporting this transformation?

We have collaborated on pioneering new 5G applications, including service-on-demand quality, network slicing, and private networks for manufacturing. We're also testing Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) to deliver high-speed internet to rural areas where fiber is not viable.

We are working with operators and hospitals on pilot projects to showcase 5G’s real-world benefits. These include better network performance and services like high-quality live broadcasts and expanded coverage at sports events. Importantly, we help telcos leverage 5G to digitize key industries.

To realize this vision, we must build robust infrastructure and achieve 5G coverage for 90% of the population.

Despite commercial 5G availability, most operator revenue still comes from 4G. What global insights can help Vietnam build a profitable 5G model?

5G offers 10 times the capacity of 4G while using up to 40% less energy. This allows operators to handle more traffic with lower investment and greater energy efficiency.

We believe 5G will unlock new business segments and revenue streams. Vietnam’s rapidly growing app economy presents exciting opportunities. Through open API collaborations, telcos can share network capabilities with both domestic and global developers.

We co-founded the global Aduna initiative to make telecom APIs accessible to developers, encouraging innovation. Some Vietnamese operators are already preparing their infrastructure to support local developer ecosystems. This fosters local creativity and integrates Vietnam into the global innovation chain.

Ericsson also introduced the EVCN (Ericsson Virtual Communication Network) solution, enabling laptops to use any carrier’s eSIM for direct 5G access without Wi-Fi, allowing nationwide secure and cost-efficient enterprise connectivity.

Two operators plan to build 20,000 5G stations in 2025. What are the broader implications?

We anticipate opportunities to digitize security through partnerships like that of MobiFone and the Ministry of Public Security, using 5G-enabled surveillance cameras and patrol vehicles requiring high reliability, automation, and security.

In Norway, we're working with carriers to run both public and private 5G networks for defense applications, a model that can be replicated in Vietnam.

5G offers superior speed, low latency, security, and advanced network features. Vietnam has the chance to lead in developing and exporting 5G applications.

Countries with broad 5G deployment have seen clear economic benefits. India has 270 million 5G users with some of the world's highest data consumption rates (32GB/month/user). Its 5G economy could reach $455 billion by 2040.

Malaysia reached 80% population coverage within a year, expecting 5G to contribute $26 to $32 billion to GDP by 2030.

We see similar potential in Vietnam, where the government and carriers aim for a digital economy contributing 30% of GDP by 2030. Reaching that milestone would mark a major step toward becoming a high-income nation by 2055.

Some carriers will start with urban and industrial zones while continuing 4G elsewhere. What's the best strategy?

Starting with major cities makes sense given dense populations and business activity. This approach serves VIP customers and supports 5G-ready businesses.

However, our partners aim to expand nationwide. Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology encourages each carrier to build 20,000 base stations to achieve national coverage, ensuring both consumers and businesses benefit.

From Ericsson's view, 4G and 5G will coexist for a long time. 5G won’t replace 4G entirely but will develop alongside it. We are supporting clients with both 4G upgrades and 5G rollouts.

Thai Khang