Vietnam
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Vietnam
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Key Findings
Vinaphone users experienced the fastest download and upload speeds
Vinaphone wins the Download Speed Experience award with an overall score of 29.3 Mbps — 1.3 Mbps faster than second-placed Viettel Mobile and 7.5 Mbps faster than MobiFone. Vinaphone also wins the Upload Speed Experience award with a score of 9.7 Mbps, closely followed by MobiFone and Viettel Mobile with users’ average speeds of 8.3 Mbps and 8.4 Mbps, respectively. On the other hand, the average speeds observed by our Vietnamobile users lagged behind, with users' download speeds averaging 5 Mbps and upload speeds averaging 1.9 Mbps.
Viettel Mobile is top for Voice App and Games Experience
Viettel Mobile wins the Games Experience and Voice App Experience awards outright. This means that our users across Vietnam enjoyed the best quality of experience on Viettel Mobile's network when using over-the-top (OTT) voice services or playing multiplayer mobile games. In addition to this, Viettel Mobile also shares the top spot with Vinaphone for Video Experience as the two operators had statistically tied scores. Video Experience is a measure of the quality of video streaming to mobile devices using real-world video streams over an operator’s networks.
Viettel Mobile leads in 4G Availability and 4G Coverage Experience
With a score of 86.9%, Viettel Mobile is the winner of the 4G Availability award, meaning our users in Vietnam, on average, spent the greatest proportion of time connected to 4G when using Viettel Mobile. However, the 4G Availability score on Vinaphone was less than half a percentage point shy of the 85% milestone, while MobiFone and Vietnamobile scored 80.6% and 80.2%, respectively. Viettel Mobile is also the outright winner of the 4G Coverage Experience award, with a score of 9 points (on a 10-point scale) — 2.7 points ahead of second-placed Vinaphone.
Vinaphone wins Excellent Consistent Quality outright and shares the Core Consistent Quality award with MobiFone
Vinaphone leads in Excellent Consistent Quality with a score of 75.7%, followed by Viettel Mobile and MobiFone's scores of 72.4% and 72.1%, respectively. In contrast, Vinaphone and MobiFone are joint-winners on Core Consistent Quality with statistically tied scores of 85.3% and 85.6%, respectively. Consistent quality metrics measure how often our users' experience on a network was sufficient to support common applications' requirements.
Mobile Experience Awards
Market Overview
In our latest assessment of the mobile network experience in Vietnam, we see a two-horse race between Viettel Mobile and Vinaphone. Viettel Mobile wins four out of ten awards outright — Games Experience, Voice Experience, 4G Availability and 4G Coverage Experience — and shares the top spot in Video Experience, where it statistically tied with Vinaphone. But Vinaphone reigns in the Download Speed Experience, Upload Speed Experience and Excellent Consistent Quality categories. Vinaphone also jointly wins the awards for Availability and Core Consistent Quality alongside MobiFone.
Opensignal found the mobile network experience reported by our users in Vietnam is characterized by large extremes. While Viettel Mobile and Vinaphone stood out among their competitors, Vietnamobile fell flat with scores averaging far below the competition in most of our award categories.
Earlier this year, Vietnam announced plans to issue licenses for commercial 5G services in 2022, starting with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, then later expanding to several urban areas and high-tech industrial zones. Currently, Vietnam's three national operators — MobiFone, Vinaphone and Viettel Mobile — have piloted 5G in 16 cities and provinces.
While these three operators have agreed to share network infrastructure and deployment costs for future rollouts, MobiFone proposed only sharing 5G infrastructure among carriers in remote areas with low demand to facilitate cost-saving. As the operators are looking to commercialize 5G over the coming years, 4G and 3G continue to play a vital role because these are mature mobile technologies to which consumers spend most time connected.
In this report, we've analyzed data gathered in the 90 days (from December 1, 2021, to February 28, 2022) to compare the mobile network experience of Vietnam's four national operators: MobiFone, Vietnamobile, Viettel Mobile and Vinaphone.
Overall Experience
National Analysis
Viettel Mobile and Vinaphone jointly share the Video Experience award with statistically tied scores of 54.5 and 54.8 points, respectively (on a 100-point scale) — ahead of MobiFone's 50.6 points. With these scores, all three operators garnered a Fair Video Experience rating (40-55). In contrast, Vietnamobile lagged behind with a score of 27 points, placing in the Poor category.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Video Experience quantifies the quality of video streamed to mobile devices by measuring real-world video streams over an operator's networks. The metric is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived video experience as reported by real people. To calculate video experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the overall video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions — including Full HD (FHD) and 4K / Ultra HD (UHD) — and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
In addition to Video Experience, we report on the following metrics related to video experience:
- 5G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Video Experience – 5G Users: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G video experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Video Experience: The average Video Experience of Opensignal users on an operator’s 3G network.
National Analysis
We saw a close-run race between MobiFone, Viettel Mobile and Vinaphone for our Games Experience award. Viettel Mobile is the outright winner of the Games Experience award, with a score of 72.2 points on a 100-point scale, followed by Vinaphone and MobiFone with statistically tied scores of 69.5 and 69.3 points. These three operators earned a Fair rating (65-75), unlike Vietnamobile which placed in the Poor (40-65) category with a score of 51 points.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator’s network. Measured on a scale of 0-100, it analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience is affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter.
Games Experience quantifies the experience when playing real-time multiplayer mobile games on mobile devices connected to servers located around the world. The approach is built on several years of research quantifying the relationship between technical network parameters and the gaming experience as reported by real mobile users. These parameters include latency (round trip time), jitter (variability of latency) and packet loss (the proportion of data packets that never reach their destination). Additionally, it considers multiple genres of multiplayer mobile games to measure the average sensitivity to network conditions. The games tested include some of the most popular real-time multiplayer mobile games (such as Fortnite, Pro Evolution Soccer and Arena of Valor) played around the world.
Calculating Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games. The score is then measured on a scale from 0 to 100.
In addition to Games Experience, we report on the following metrics related to games experience:
- 5G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Games Experience – 5G Users: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G games experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Games Experience: The average Games Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO) network.
National Analysis
Fierce competition was also seen for the Voice App Experience award with less than three points separating MobiFone, Viettel Mobile and Vinaphone. While Viettel Mobile took the top spot with a score of 81.1 points (out of 100), MobiFone came second, with a score of 80 — just 0.4 points ahead of third-place Vinaphone. As a result, Viettel Mobile and MobiFone placed in the Good (80-87) category, while Vinaphone missed that same rating by less than half a point and placed in the Acceptable category (74-80) along with Vietnamobile, which scored 74.6 points.
Definitions
Opensignal's Voice App Experience measures the quality of experience for over-the-top (OTT) voice services — mobile voice apps such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — using a model derived from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach for quantifying overall voice call quality and a series of calibrated technical parameters. This model characterizes the exact relationship between the technical measurements and perceived call quality. Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
In addition to Voice App Experience, we report on the following metrics related to voice app experience:
- 5G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users when they were connected to an operator’s 5G network.
- Voice App Experience – 5G Users: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator's networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G voice app experience along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 4G network.
- 3G Voice App Experience: The average Voice App Experience of Opensignal users on an operator's 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO) network.
National Analysis
Our users in Vietnam observed the fastest average download speeds on Vinaphone's network. The operator wins the Download Speed Experience award with a score of 29.3 Mbps, but its closest rival Viettel Mobile scored just 1.3 Mbps behind. MobiFone was further behind with a score of 21.8 Mbps, while Vietnamobile's score was a long way behind the leaders, with its users reporting average download speeds of 5 Mbps.
Definitions
Measured in Mbps, Download Speed Experience represents the typical everyday speeds a user experiences across an operator’s mobile data networks.
In addition to Download Speed Experience, we report on the following metrics related to download speeds:
- 5G Download Speed: The average download speed observed by Opensignal users with active 5G connections.
- Download Speed Experience – 5G Users: The average download speeds experienced by Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator’s networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G download speeds along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Download Speed: The average downlink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 4G.
- 3G Download Speed: The average downlink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO).
National Analysis
Vinaphone also wins the Upload Speed Experience award, as our users on its network enjoyed the fastest average upload speeds of 9.7 Mbps. This score was 15.7% to 16.1% faster than those reported by users on Mobifone and Viettel Mobile, and was more than five times as fast as Vietnamobile's Upload Speed Experience score of 1.9 Mbps.
Definitions
Upload Speed Experience measures the average upload speeds for each operator observed by our users across their mobile data networks. Typically upload speeds are slower than download speeds, as current mobile broadband technologies focus resources on providing the best possible download speed for users consuming content on their devices. As mobile internet trends move away from downloading content to creating content and supporting real-time communications services, upload speeds are becoming more vital and new technologies are emerging that boost upstream capacity.
In addition to Upload Speed Experience, we report on five supporting metrics related to upload speeds:
- 5G Upload Speed: The average upload speed observed by Opensignal users with active 5G connections.
- Upload Speed Experience – 5G Users: The average upload speeds experienced by Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription across an operator’s networks. It factors in 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G upload speeds along with the availability of each technology.
- 4G Upload Speed: The average uplink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 4G.
- 3G Upload Speed: The average uplink speed observed by Opensignal users when they were connected to 3G (e.g. UMTS/HSPA or CDMA 1X EV-DO).
Coverage
MobiFone
Vietnamobile
Viettel Mobile
Vinaphone
National Analysis
MobiFone and Vinaphone are the joint winners of the Availability award with statistically tied scores of 96.5% and 96.8%, respectively. Vietnamobile and Viettel Mobile were close behind with statistically tied scores of 95.9% and 95.4%, respectively.
Definitions
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
Availability shows the proportion of time all Opensignal users on an operator’s network had either a 3G, 4G or 5G connection.
Map Definition
The coverage maps show the locations where we received measurements from users connecting with 3G or better mobile service. Each map provides an indication of the areas in which it is possible to obtain mobile service from that mobile operator.
National Analysis
Our users on Viettel Mobile's network spent the greatest proportion of time connected to 4G services, with 4G Availability of 86.9% on average — at least 2.2 percentage points ahead of Vinaphone. Meanwhile, MobiFone and Vietnamobile scores were marginally above 80%. This means that on average smartphone users in Vietnam spent more than 80% of their time connected to 4G, regardless of their choice of mobile operator for data services.
Definitions
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
4G Availability shows the proportion of time Opensignal users with a 4G device and a 4G subscription — but have never connected to 5G — had a 4G connection.
Map Definition
The coverage maps show the locations where we received measurements from users connecting with 3G or better mobile service. Each map provides an indication of the areas in which it is possible to obtain mobile service from that mobile operator.
National Analysis
We saw a greater variation in 4G Coverage Experience than in 4G Availability. Viettel Mobile takes home the award with the top score of 9 points on a 10-point scale and 1.7 points ahead of Vinaphone. Meanwhile, MobiFone and Vietnamobile were further away from the leader with scores of 5.9 and 3.2, respectively. Viettel Mobile's score means our users on this network were able to connect to 4G services in more than nine out of 10 locations
Definitions
4G Coverage Experience measures how mobile subscribers experience 4G coverage on an operator’s network. Measured on a scale of 0-10, it analyzes the locations where customers of a network operator received a 4G signal relative to the locations visited by users of all network operators.
In simple terms, 4G Coverage Experience measures the mobile coverage experience in all the locations that matter most to everyday users — i.e. all the places where they live, work and travel. It considers all the areas that Opensignal users visit, the portion of locations that 4G is available to them, and locations that more users visit have higher importance to them.
Map Definition
The coverage maps show the locations where we received measurements from users connecting with 3G or better mobile service. Each map provides an indication of the areas in which it is possible to obtain mobile service from that mobile operator.
Consistency
National Analysis
Vinaphone is the sole winner of the Excellent Consistent Quality award. The operator's winning score of 75.7% gives it a lead of 3.3 and 3.6 percentage points over second-placed Viettel Mobile and Mobifone. That said, Vietnamobile has much to catch up on, with a score of 37.3%. Excellent Consistent Quality measures the percentage of tests where our users' experience on a network met the minimum recommended performance thresholds for high definition (HD) video, group video conference calls and gaming.
Definitions
Consistent Quality measures how often users’ experience on a network was sufficient to support common applications’ requirements. It measures download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet loss, time to first byte and the percentage of tests attempted which did not succeed due to a connectivity issue on either the download or server response component.
Full details on how the Consistent Quality metrics — Excellent Consistent Quality and Core Consistent Quality — are calculated can be found here.
Excellent Consistent Quality is the percentage of users’ tests that met the minimum recommended performance thresholds to watch HD video, complete group video conference calls and play games.
National Analysis
MobiFone and Vinaphone are joint winners of the Core Consistent Quality award with statistically tied scores of 85.6% and 85.3%, respectively, slightly greater than Viettel Mobile's score of 85%. At the same time, Vietnamobile trails further behind with a score of 72.7% — at least 12.3 percentage points lower than its competition.
Definitions
Consistent Quality measures how often users’ experience on a network was sufficient to support common applications’ requirements. It measures download speed, upload speed, latency, jitter, packet loss, time to first byte and the percentage of tests attempted which did not succeed due to a connectivity issue on either the download or server response component.
Full details on how the Consistent Quality metrics — Excellent Consistent Quality and Core Consistent Quality — are calculated can be found here.
Core Consistent Quality is the percentage of users’ tests that met the minimum recommended performance thresholds for lower performance applications including SD video, voice calls and web browsing.
Related Analysis
Our Methodology
Collecting billions of individual measurements daily from over 100 million devices globally, Opensignal independently analyzes mobile and broadband user experience on every major network operator around the globe.
About Opensignal
Opensignal is the leading global provider of independent insights into consumers' connectivity experiences and choice of carrier. Our proprietary insights into mobile and broadband networks give operators the solutions they need to profitably compete and win, from executive level scorecards and public validation to pin-point level engineering analytics and consumer decision dynamics.
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Confidence Intervals
For every metric we calculate statistical confidence intervals indicated on our graphs. When confidence intervals overlap, our measured results are too close to declare a winner. In those cases, we show a statistical draw. For this reason, some metrics have multiple operator winners.
In our bar graphs we represent confidence intervals as boundaries on either sides of graph bars.
In our supporting-metric charts we show confidence intervals as +/- numerical values.
Why confidence intervals are vital in analyzing mobile network experience