New Standard for 5G NR in Vietnam

The Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has released Circular 06/2021/TT-BTTTT, introducing the national technical regulation QCVN 127:2021/BTTTT for stand-alone 5G mobile communication network terminal equipment (wireless access).

Key Details:

• Implementation Timeline:

  • QCVN 127:2021/BTTTT takes effect on March 1, 2022.

  • Mandatory compliance begins on July 1, 2022.

  • Between March 1 and July 1, type approval certificates for 5G NR devices can be issued under either QCVN 47:2015/BTTTT or QCVN 127:2021/BTTTT.

• Certification Update:
  Type approval certificates issued under QCVN 47:2015/BTTTT must be updated to QCVN 127:2021/BTTTT by July 1, 2022, to ensure smooth importation processes.

• 5G Frequency Bands:
  Approved bands for 5G NR in Vietnam include:
  n1, n3, n5, n8, n28, n40, n41, n77, n78, and n258.
  All 5G mobile phones must support at least n1, n3, n28, n41, n77, and n78. Bands n77 and n78 are only permitted when officially planned in Vietnam.

• Testing and Certification Challenges:
  Local laboratories are not yet accredited to test QCVN 127:2021/BTTTT. Additionally, the Vietnam Approval Authority has not started issuing type approval certificates under this standard.

This new regulation sets the foundation for the 5G rollout in Vietnam, aligning the country with international technical requirements while highlighting current gaps in testing infrastructure.