According to the roadmap, 6G networks could begin to be standardised around 2030, meaning countries must prepare very early if they don’t want to fall behind.
The 6G race
The US has focused on researching the platform and building the 6G ecosystem, with the participation of corporations such as Qualcomm, Google, and Microsoft. China is accelerating testing and large-scale investment, while South Korea and Japan aim to be among the first countries to commercialise 6G.
Viet Nam has also shown determination by gradually incorporating 6G into its national digital transformation plans. In the long term, Viet Nam aims to be ready for deployment and gradual commercialisation of 6G by around 2030.
At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain (March 2026), the Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) announced its participation in 6G architecture research, early testing of pre-commercial systems and equipment in 2028, contributing to standard development and preparing for commercial deployment from 2029.
At the same time, the company has joined a global strategic alliance initiated by Qualcomm Technologies to accelerate the development and deployment of 6G globally from 2029.
The Viet Nam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) is also increasing investment in long-term research in both network infrastructure and foundational technologies serving the 6G era.
The company is actively expanding cooperation with international partners, research institutes, and technology organisations to gain early access to new trends and gradually participate in the testing and standardisation process.
VNPT positions 6G as an integrated platform for digital government, smart cities, and the digital economy, where data is connected and processed.
The 6G ecosystem in Viet Nam also sees increasing participation from technology companies. FPT Corporation and VNG Group are playing crucial roles in high-value layers such as software, data, and artificial intelligence — core components of 6G.
Based on this foundation, Viet Nam’s opportunities in the 6G race are considered clearer than in previous generations of technology. According to Nguyen Ba Hung, Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), while 6G is still in its formative stages, the gap between countries is not yet too large.
This provides also a “window of opportunity” for Viet Nam to participate early in the research and testing and even contribute to standard development.
6G opens the possibility of forming new digital economic sectors and upgrading existing ones. With its rapidly developing market, young population, and high level of technological readiness, Viet Nam could become a testing ground for 6G application models, from smart cities and smart manufacturing to high-value digital services.
Existing challenges
At a meeting with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, businesses proposed researching and piloting 6G in suitable areas within the year. However, the businesses themselves acknowledged existing difficulties.
6G still lacks official technical standards, commercial equipment is not yet available, and business resources are still heavily focused on developing 5G networks.
The challenges lie not only in the technology itself but also in the fundamental capabilities of the domestic technology ecosystem. 6G is linked to complex fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, new materials, and quantum computing — areas where Viet Nam still lags significantly behind leading nations.
The issue of high-quality human resources continues to be a bottleneck, as the demand for engineers and experts in cutting-edge technologies is increasing, while the training system and talent attraction mechanisms have not kept pace.
Furthermore, investing in 6G research and development requires significant resources and a long-term vision, necessitating coordinated efforts between the government, businesses, and research institutions.
At the technological level, instead of short-term projects, Viet Nam needs to develop long-term research programs, spanning 5-10 years, focusing on foundational technologies such as AI-native networks (systems and software built from scratch with AI as the core), semiconductors, and real-time data processing. At the same time, the formation of open laboratories allows businesses like Viettel, VNPT, and FPT to jointly test and share infrastructure and data.
According to Nguyen Ba Hung, Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), given limited resources and the inability to pursue the entire 6G value chain, Viet Nam needs to prioritise and focus on areas where it has advantages, such as core network equipment, network control software, AI platforms, or digital applications. The policy approach should shift from widespread support to selective support, with the aim to form “technology clusters” in which businesses, research institutes, and startups can develop a specialised ecosystem.
Regarding human resources, instead of simply increasing numbers, training methods should be changed to a more targeted approach based on business needs.
Engineering training programs should be directly linked to business demands, with business involvement from the programme design stage. Flexible mechanisms are needed to attract international experts and Vietnamese people abroad to participate in advanced technology projects.
Dr James Kang, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at RMIT University Viet Nam, believes that with the development of 6G, security risks, data security, and technological dependence will increase, placing higher demands on businesses. Businesses need to consider security as a core element from the product design and development stage.
Devices and systems must be built on the principle of only allowing access after authentication, accompanied by measures such as data encryption, secure login, and tight control of connections. Regular software updates and early vulnerability detection also become mandatory requirements to mitigate risks.
