Wimax and the future in Vietnam

As reported, the Prime Minister has issued official letters allowing 4 businesses to be provided with mobile and fixed Wimax services: including Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT), FPT Telecom Company. , VTC Multimedia Communications Corporation and Military Telecom Corporation (Viettel).

What is wimax?

Worldwide, World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax technology for global access to microwave access) is a new trend for wireless interface standards in wireless access. for both fixed, portable and mobile devices. WiMax has many outstanding advantages, such as high data transmission rate, sometimes up to 70 Mb / s within 50 km, service quality is established for each connection, good security, multicast support as well as mobile, use both licensed and unlicensed spectrum.

According to experts, WiMax will quickly overcome existing technologies such as Wi-Fi or 3G, because of its high-speed broadband connectivity in a wide range. Furthermore, WiMax installation is easy, cost-effective for service providers and reduces service costs for users. In addition, WiMax also creates more favorable conditions to bring data transmission services to rural, deep-lying, remote and densely populated areas where it is difficult to deploy wire-based infrastructure. Broadband . Therefore, WiMax is seen as a highly cost-effective technology for rapid deployment in areas where other technologies are difficult to provide broadband services.

Is there more WiFi?

In Vietnam, the WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) service was first deployed by the Data and Communication Company (VDC), belonging to VNPT, with the appearance of WiFi Hotspot (wireless Internet access hotspot) set. at Water Resources University. This hotspot covers the entire VDC campus and the internal network of Water Resources University. This service is especially suitable for mobile access needs and access points of many users, while allowing users to access the Internet just like when using traditional computer network at any time. in the coverage area (about 100-300m). In addition, WiFi has the flexibility and ability to develop large networks due to unaffected by location, computer network design. WiFi also overcome the limitations of physical cable lines, reducing many costs of infrastructure construction .

To be able to access, users need a laptop or digital personal support device (PDA) and a network card using VDC's WiFi wireless technology. Immediately after having WiFi, many coffee shops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City also registered to become providers of this service to customers. With simple requirements: just need to install ADSL high-speed Internet with AP (Access Point) device that normal coffee shops can be upgraded to cafeWiFi and ready to serve customers using the machine Networked laptop. Many shops also include guest laptops.

With the emergence of Wimax, many Vietnamese customers immediately showed great interest. In essence, both Wi-Fi and WiMax can provide broadband connectivity for both laptop users within access hotspots or in a building. However, WiFi coverage of 1 hotspot hotspot is narrower than Wimax, and WiFi also needs more hotspot stations. Therefore, this service is difficult to implement. On the other hand, if more people use WiFi, the speed will decrease. At the same time, the quality of WiFi is not as good as ADSL, which does not guarantee the priority mode like Wimax. Although there are many outstanding advantages, but according to a telecommunications expert, Wimax might not replace WiFi because now WiFi has been used by many shops, families and individuals. an internal network, very convenient and cost-effective.

And the future in Vietnam

Up to now, there have been 6 proposals for Ministry of Post and Telematics to grant Wimax test licenses. It can be said that three outstanding faces for this trial license are VNPT, FPT Telecom and VTC.

Previously, Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT) also tested Wimax but is another standard, not the new standard today. The current standard relates more to mobile and to the new generation NGN network. Therefore, VNPT is working on a Wimax service project. The radio access part will be made by the Provincial Post Offices. VDC will deploy Internet services. Some other units such as Software and Communication Company (VASC) will deploy content services. It is expected that by the time of 2008-2010, VNPT will deploy widely new generation NGN network for local network infrastructure. Thus, certainly at this time, Wimax services will also be popular.

FPT Telecom is aiming to provide two types of fixed mobile and Wimax Wimax, but will focus primarily on mobile Wimax. But the company also said that the cost of deploying Wimax will be very expensive, so the target of the company will be high-income customers.

After being allowed by the Government to provide services, VTC is actively implementing fixed Wimax. Currently, this Corporation is in the process of finding partners to provide equipment for its testing.

In the interest of businesses of WiMax, there are also some opinions that if implemented simultaneously, there will be a mutual exclusion between Wimax and mobile services.But as we know, currently, Vietnam mobile networks are using 2.5-3G technology.This is the technology for different customer classes with Internet access but specialized in voice.In contrast, Wimax or 4G technology has a wider bandwidth, and is used primarily for Internet access with voice service, voice features.Moreover, it is also a long time for mobile WiMax service to develop, when mobile service has developed strongly and has a certain position.In addition, customers who want to use multiple services (Multimedia) on Wimax will not be as much as mobile services.Therefore, these two technologies will coexist in parallel, and in some respects, they support and interact with each other.