Speed boost: Viettel begins offering new 4G technology for existing subscribers. — Photo Viettel

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The military-run telecommunication group Viettel officially started providing SIM cards incorporating 4G technology for new subscribers yesterday, a move towards its goal of widespread 4G usage.

The 4G services will be available for postpaid subscribers in the first week. SIM card updates will be offered to all Viettel postpaid and pre-paid users from May 18. According to the group, the 4G SIM card, which has a capacity of 128 kb, is designed to fit all mobile phones in the market and is also backwards compatible for 2G and 3G technologies.

Viettel piloted the new technology in Vung Tau City in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau last December, with an average speed of between 40 and 80 Mb/s, seven times faster than that of existing 3G technology. 4G is the fourth generation mobile data technology with a maximum speed of up to 1-1.5 Gb/s, hundreds of times faster than 3G. — VNS