In 2023, Viettel's development of the 5G DFE chip—the most complex component in the 5G device ecosystem—surprised not only domestically but also at international tech communities like the Mobile World Congress (MWC). Synopsis, a chip design tool provider and one of Viettel's semiconductor partners, described this achievement as unprecedented in Southeast Asia. Similarly, major telecommunications equipment providers like Nokia were amazed that a telecom operator could master the entire 5G device system process, a groundbreaking achievement. The 5G chip, along with Viettel's mastery of the entire 5G device ecosystem from core network to radio access, affirms the company's capability to participate in high-tech industries for Vietnam.

This is one of Viettel's latest achievements, demonstrating its daring culture of venturing into unprecedented endeavors. This culture has propelled Viettel to make breakthroughs in its 35-year journey to become Vietnam's most valuable brand.

Growing from difficulty

Over the past 35 years, Viettel's consolidated revenue has exceeded 2.2 quadrillion VND, with pre-tax profits nearing 540 trillion VND. Viettel has consistently been a leading contributor to the state budget, accumulating over 433 trillion VND to date, recognized as one of the most efficiently operated state-owned enterprises. Yet, few know that in 1989, this giant was merely a small unit housed in a makeshift barracks with 10 information soldiers transitioning into business. How did Sigelco's small beginnings transform into a billion-dollar enterprise, conquering 10 international markets? Embracing new technologies and approaches, readiness to undertake seemingly impossible tasks—that's how Viettel succeeded.

Over 30 years ago, using 2 unused optical fibers on a 500KV power line, Viettel executed the military fiber optic backbone project spanning 2,300 km, known as Project 1A. Typically, a communications trunk line requires 4 fibers—transmit, receive, and 2 spares. To accomplish this, Viettel had to pioneer a technology not yet applied worldwide: transmitting and receiving on the same optical fiber, with the remaining fiber serving as a backup. Moreover, to ensure military secrecy, Project 1A prohibited the involvement of foreign experts. After two relentless years and thousands of trials, the mission was accomplished.

The next pivotal challenge for Viettel was mobile telecommunications. In the early 2000s, conventional practice equated mobile business with joint ventures with foreign partners—foreign enterprises investing capital while Vietnamese companies provided telecommunications licenses and market access. However, Viettel chose to independently build its mobile network, despite having enough funds for only 150 base stations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, lacking experience in station design and network deployment, with a workforce of merely 100.

Mastering the most advanced network deployment principles at the time, Viettel's technical team developed prototype station designs for each region—solving the challenge of designing each station individually at costs of tens of thousands of USD, deploying them in a grid-like pattern—solving the network deployment challenge. With self-reliance in design and installation, within 2 years, Viettel owned more stations than all other networks combined in the previous decade, contributing to increasing Vietnam's telephone density from 4% to 90% in 2007 and currently standing at 130%.

Two years into the telecommunications business, in 2006, Viettel chose another formidable challenge: investing overseas. From Cambodia and Laos to Haiti, Mozambique, East Timor, Burundi, Tanzania, Peru, and most recently Myanmar, Viettel successively raised the Vietnamese flag across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. With its distinct telecommunications approach, the Vietnamese brand competed and defeated top-ranked telecommunications rivals worldwide, claiming the number one market share in 7 out of 10 international markets.

In 2023, revenue from foreign telecommunications investment activities of Viettel exceeded USD 3 billion, maintaining high growth rates for 7 consecutive years, five times the global industry average, bringing in annual foreign currency revenue to Vietnam up to USD 500 million.

Without daring to undertake difficult tasks and self-reliance in fighting to grow, Viettel might still be erecting poles and laying rented cables in a saturated market, or in other words, "dead."

Aspiring to master the most advanced technologies

"From a very small enterprise, with ambition, belief, and a spirit to undertake the unimaginable, Viettel has become a large corporation, contributing billions annually to the state budget. This is an inspiring story for many people and businesses in Vietnam, especially digital technology enterprises, to embrace a national mission” said Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications and former General Director who has been with Viettel from the early days. Difficult tasks have become the norm and a driving force for Viettel's development.

In 2010, the Group began participating in the Defense Industry with research on the border surveillance system. At that time, only 8 countries in the world possessed large defense industrial complexes capable of implementation.

Defense industry is a national secret of each country; Viettel could not seek an external partner for technology transfer or business cooperation. Overcoming challenges from global supply chain disruptions, material shortages during the 2 years of Covid, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, research and development efforts yielded expected results for Viettel.

To date, Viettel has more than 60 types of products in 10 high-tech weapon equipment sectors under the most modern combat model in the world, with annual revenues in the trillions. From military sector, Viettel has mastered the technology of producing telecommunications equipment, civilian equipment... "Viettel invested, broke through, and initially researched, designed, manufactured many new, modern types of weapons, equipment, actively contributing to industrialization, modernization of the country and building the Army" General Phan Van Giang, Minister of Defense, evaluated.

Before the "Made by Vietnam" 5G chip took shape, in 2022, Viettel also made Vietnam one of the first 6 countries in the world to master 5G technology—making a leap forward with ultra-low latency, ultra-high speed, and ensuring security with millions of connections per square kilometer.

Mastering 5G technology, Viettel is the leading name in the digital platform construction campaign, creating a foundation for important digital services to develop a digital economy and build a digital society in Vietnam as well as foreign markets.

Tackling the toughest challenges to pioneer

Whether in mobile telecommunications or digital service business, to start operations and develop, companies worldwide traditionally require very large investment capital and massive research personnel.

But with not many resources, Viettel had to use a different formula. Those entrusted with the task knew that: Once there is a clear goal, nothing is impossible. Faced with national demands—ensuring military information security, popularizing telecommunications to everyone, or engaging in high technology to create new development impetus—Viettel had to find new paths, do what no one has done before, do more and faster.

In the past, the 1A axis was an "invention" unprecedented, born from Viettel's intelligence. Then, the system of hundreds of thousands of BTS stations was built as fast as a whirlwind thanks to the grid-like eye design and model of station construction that even ordinary people could perform.

In the 5G race, Huawei, Ericsson had to invest billions of dollars, 5,000 - 10,000 research personnel. But Viettel's research force was only 150 people.

Companies worldwide choose one platform for development, while Viettel chooses all three largest platforms in the world to develop simultaneously: Qualcomm, Intel, AMD. In 2023, Viettel fully mastered 5G ecosystem devices, including wireless access devices, transmission devices, core network systems. In the year, Viettel officially operated 300 stations on the network in Hanoi, Ha Nam, Da Nang, Ninh Thuan. Test results show that Viettel's 5G devices meet technical specifications according to global and Vietnam standards.

Before, Vietnam was a late telecommunications country. Currently, Vietnam has been able to equip itself with five countries in the provision of 5G devices and Viettel is the 6th provider, along with Ericsson, Huawei, Samsung, ZTE, Nokia.

By the end of 2023, Viettel's complete private 5G system was exported to India. By May 2024, Viettel's 5G devices continued to be distributed in 9 Middle Eastern countries. Make in Vietnam 5G and Made by Viettel are ready for a new telecommunications boom.

With 1A, high-tech industries or 5G, finding solutions to difficult tasks and mastering challenges are the way Viettel continues to perform pioneering roles, leading roles in the technology of the nation.

“Viettel is the state-owned economic group, exemplifying state enterprises in the new era, demonstrating its pivotal role in several crucial sectors of the economy. Concurrently, Viettel makes significant contributions to national construction and defense, ensuring national security, social welfare, job creation, and fulfilling political tasks entrusted by the Party, Government, and Ministry of Defence" stated Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during his visit to Viettel.

"Viettel vividly embodies Vietnam's spirit and aspirations to build our nation more dignified, larger, and more beautiful, echoing the perpetual aspirations of President Ho Chi Minh” the Prime Minister added.