Viettel, Qualcomm target Vietnam's first pre-commercial 6G call in 2029

Viettel High Tech said it has become the first partner worldwide to join Qualcomm Technologies’ 6G Platform Early Access Program, marking the start of its work on next-generation mobile networks after more than a decade of developing expertise in 4G and 5G.

The program gives Viettel access to chipset platforms and development tools before their broader commercial release, allowing it to develop products alongside Qualcomm as the platform is finalized.

Under the agreement, Viettel and Qualcomm will jointly research, design, develop and manufacture 6G base stations.

Viettel will handle research, design, development, integration, manufacturing, trial deployment and product quality assessment, while Qualcomm will provide the chipset technology platform.

The two companies will also test the interoperability of Qualcomm’s 6G platform with Viettel-developed products, assess product quality and optimize performance under real-world operating conditions and scenarios.

Speaking at the meeting with Qualcomm Technologies, Senior Lieutenant General Tao Duc Thang, chairman and general director of Viettel, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to mastering core technologies.

He said Viettel’s first pre-commercial 6G call will be made with systems and equipment developed and manufactured by the group itself.

The goal reinforces Viettel’s long-term strategy of gradually mastering the entire technology chain, from research, design and development to manufacturing, commercialization and deployment on operational networks.

Qualcomm’s strategic technology programs have traditionally been launched in major technology hubs such as the United States and South Korea.

Vietnam and Viettel’s participation in the 6G Platform Early Access Program highlights the country’s growing importance in Qualcomm’s strategy for developing next-generation technologies.

The agreement expands the strategic partnership between Viettel and Qualcomm from 5G Open RAN into 6G research and development.

Viettel-developed 5G equipment using Qualcomm chipsets has already been widely deployed across its network.

Their cooperation in researching, developing and commercializing 5G has laid the groundwork for further collaboration on 6G.

Durga Malladi, executive vice president and general manager at Qualcomm Technologies, said the company was particularly impressed by Viettel’s ability to independently develop and commercialize radio solutions and deploy networks at scale, after working with Viettel since 2022.

He said those capabilities had positioned Viettel to join 6G research at an early stage.

Qualcomm pledged to continue working with and supporting Viettel in researching, testing and developing the next generation of mobile networks, with the aim of making Viettel one of the pioneers in deploying 6G technology in Asia.

Malladi said Viettel’s rapid commercial rollout of 5G Open RAN had become a reference for other operators.

Qualcomm has brought telecom firms from Japan, India, the United States and Europe to learn from Viettel’s experience, opening wider global opportunities for “Make in Vietnam” products.

Beyond research, the two companies agreed to expand overseas markets for Viettel-developed 5G equipment in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Qualcomm will connect Viettel with global operators and partners, while Viettel will provide products and deployment expertise to help “Make in Vietnam” telecom equipment reach wider international markets.

As the partnership moves into 6G, its scope is expected to extend beyond radio systems. Sixth-generation networks are being developed as AI-native platforms, with artificial intelligence built into their core architecture.

This could open cooperation in high-performance computing, data-center servers, sensing technologies, autonomous AI devices and next-generation radio systems.

Joining 6G research at an early stage will allow Viettel to participate in global technology development while shaping its own next-generation telecom products.

Early investment in 6G is also expected to strengthen Viettel’s competitiveness and deepen Vietnam’s role in the global technology value chain.