Vietnam set for new frequency allocation plan

Nation's 900 MHz band to be 'reclaimed' post-2G shutdown.

Telecom operators in mainland Vietnam will have to switch off all their remaining 2G base stations on 15 September 2026, making way for a planned reallocation of the 900 MHz spectrum.

Authority of Radio Frequency Management's Frequency Policy and Planning Division Head Vu Thu Hien was quoted by state-owned media agency VietNamNet Global as saying: "The 900 MHz frequency band will be reclaimed after September 2026, auctioned, and licensed to operators deploying 4G and 5G technologies."

Under a revised allocation plan, the goal is to distribute the spectrum as 4G and 5G technologies continue to expand. The pre-shutdown transition in Vietnam began in 2024, when mobile network operators stopped providing services to handsets that support only the GSM standard whilst continuing to allow voice calls via the 2G network.

The September 2026 shutdown – which does not apply to the Truong Sa, Hoang Sa, and DK offshore platform areas – is part of Vietnam's planned phaseout of legacy mobile technologies like 2G.

As reported previously when Vietnam greenlit its digital infrastructure strategy, one of the targets is the expansion of 5G mobile broadband network coverage to 99% of the country's population by 2030.