Viettel and Vietnam's Telecoms: From Army Signal Corps to Global Operator
Three operators dominate Vietnamese telecoms: Viettel (military-owned), VNPT and Mobifone. Viettel is also a serious international operator across Africa and Latin America.
Vietnam has one of the most competitive mobile markets in Asia, with three large operators serving a population of 100 million. Mobile penetration is over 130 per cent (multiple SIMs are common) and smartphone adoption among working-age adults is essentially universal.
What it is / Background
The market opened in the late 1990s with VNPT (Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group) as incumbent. Viettel was founded in 1989 as a military signals contractor under the Ministry of National Defence, and entered mobile services in 2004 with an aggressive low-price strategy that quickly took the lead. Mobifone, originally part of VNPT, was carved out in 2014 and operates as an independent state-owned enterprise.
Two smaller operators, Vietnamobile (a joint venture with Hutchison) and Gmobile, hold the residual subscriber share. The state holds 100 per cent of all three major operators, though VNPT and Mobifone equitisation has been on the agenda for over a decade.
Current state
Viettel leads with around 55 per cent subscriber share, VNPT (operating the Vinaphone brand) around 22 per cent and Mobifone around 18 per cent. Tariffs are very low by global standards: roughly 60,000 to 100,000 VND (around 2.50 to 4 US dollars) per month buys generous data and voice bundles.
5G commercial services launched in October 2024 on Viettel, followed by Vinaphone and Mobifone within weeks. Coverage is concentrated in HCMC, Hanoi, Danang, Hai Phong and the larger provincial capitals, and is expected to reach most district towns by end of 2026.
Fibre-to-the-home is essentially ubiquitous in urban areas through Viettel, VNPT (Vinaphone) and FPT Telecom (the third large fixed-line operator). Symmetrical 1 Gbps plans cost around 350,000 to 500,000 VND per month.
Key players / Major firms
Viettel Group has 18 subsidiaries spanning mobile services (in Vietnam and ten overseas markets), enterprise IT (Viettel Solutions), defence electronics (Viettel High Tech, which builds its own 5G base stations and military radios), e-payments (Viettel Money) and post (Viettel Post). Group revenue exceeds 7 billion US dollars per year.
VNPT operates Vinaphone for mobile, VNPT Media for content, and significant fixed-line infrastructure. Mobifone is mobile-pure-play with growing digital services. FPT Telecom is the largest private telecom operator, focused on fibre broadband and pay-TV.
What's coming / Outlook
Viettel's overseas operations are a distinctive feature. It runs major networks in Cambodia (Metfone), Laos (Unitel), Myanmar (Mytel, currently under sanctions complications), Mozambique (Movitel), Cameroon (Nexttel), Burundi (Lumitel), Tanzania (Halotel), Haiti (Natcom), Peru (Bitel) and Timor-Leste (Telemor). The international portfolio adds around 1.5 billion US dollars of annual revenue.
VNPT and Mobifone equitisation could resume under the 2026 to 2030 plan, with foreign strategic-investor stakes possible. Both operators have struggled to grow non-voice revenue at the pace of Viettel.
Data-centre build-out is a strong theme: Viettel IDC, VNPT IDC, FPT and CMC have all announced significant capacity additions for AI and cloud workloads.
What this means for visitors and expats
Pre-paid SIMs are cheap and widely available; passport registration is required by law and is now enforced at official outlets. Viettel has the deepest rural and mountain coverage; Vinaphone is often slightly better in central HCMC and Hanoi for indoor reception. eSIMs are supported on all three networks since 2024.
For long-stay residents, a post-paid plan from any of the big three requires a Vietnamese ID number or residence card. Mobile money via Viettel Money or Mobifone Money works without a bank account and is convenient for taxis, deliveries and small retail.
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