4G smartphones are booming in Vietnam.

More than half of the smartphones on official retail shelves this year support 4G network connectivity, including even budget models priced at just a few million VND.

Fourth-generation (4G) mobile network technology will only be officially deployed by major carriers towards the end of the year. However, according to statistics from The Gioi Dien Thoai (Mobile World) system, out of more than 150 smartphone models currently sold officially in Vietnam, nearly 90 products already support 4G connectivity. Compared to last year, the number of models has tripled.

4G network technology provides internet connection speeds 3 to 7 times faster than 3G.

More and more new smartphones are being equipped with 4G, not just Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity as before. Samsung, the phone manufacturer with the largest market share in Vietnam, also has the most 4G products on the market right now. 17 out of the 27 Galaxy Android models the company offers in Vietnam have integrated the next-generation mobile network technology.

The increasing presence of 4G smartphones in the domestic market is not surprising, as mobile network operators will eventually officially upgrade from 3G to 4G, according to Mr. Ha Manh Tuan, manager of a mobile phone system in Hanoi. Since late 2015, all three major mobile network operators in Vietnam have been providing trial 4G services. They have even conducted campaigns to exchange old SIM cards for the new generation 4G-enabled ones. Therefore, terminal device manufacturers are now racing to release their products ahead of time to meet user demand.

The 3G network connection, commonly used on smartphones in Vietnam today, theoretically offers a maximum download speed of 7.2 Mbps, or up to 42 Mbps with enhanced 3.5G (HSPA) connectivity. Meanwhile, the theoretical speed of 4G network connections reaches 150 Mbps, and even 300 Mbps in upgraded versions. 4G test results show that this technology provides internet speeds 3 to 7 times faster than 3G and even faster than regular Wi-Fi networks..

Despite the significant increase in numbers, the market needs more affordable 4G smartphones to become widespread.

Alongside the rapid growth in quantity, the price of 4G-enabled smartphones in Vietnam is steadily decreasing, with some products now available for under 2 million VND, such as the Lenovo A2010 or Obi MV1. However, the selection of affordable 4G smartphones under 4 million VND remains limited.While in the high-end and mid-range smartphone segments (around 5 million VND and above), users can choose from 4G products of any brand, the choices in the budget segment are still limited. Most inexpensive 4G models come from relatively new Chinese brands.

Among the major players in the Vietnamese market, only Samsung has diversified its smartphone offerings to include 4G support, with a product range spanning from high-end and mid-range to entry-level. Even models priced as low as 2-3 million VND, like the Galaxy J2 and J3, already support 4G LTE. Meanwhile, competitors like HTC, Sony, and Oppo have only integrated 4G into mid-range smartphones priced from 5 million VND upwards. Apple's cheapest iPhone with 4G LTE, the iPhone 5s, still costs 7 million VND.

According to mobile phone retailers, despite the rapid increase in the number of products, 4G smartphones still need more time to become the preferred choice for users in Vietnam. Until 4G services are officially and widely deployed by network operators, users cannot clearly see the differences and changes compared to 3G.

According to VNE