Vietnam Climbs to Top 20 in Global Mobile Speeds

Vietnam has quietly become a global leader in connectivity. According to new data, the country’s mobile internet speed has soared to an average of 146.64 Mbps, placing it within the top 20 countries worldwide, while fixed broadband now averages 203.89 Mbps, also ranking impressively high around 26th globally.

This progress is far from incidental. A spokesperson from Vietnam’s National Digital Transformation Agency, Le Anh Tuan, cited three key drivers behind the surge; rapid 4G and 5G expansion, the phasing out of outdated 2G networks, and a decline in 3G-only devices, which clogged bandwidth. Combined, these efforts have substantially elevated speed and stability for millions.

Ookla, the analytics firm behind Speedtest, confirms Vietnam’s performance is no fluke. Telco giant Viettel ranked third globally in overall mobile internet performance, scoring 82.56 surpassing Singapore’s Singtel. Meanwhile, VinaPhone claimed second place worldwide for 5G speed, narrowly trailing a UAE operator.

Achieving such results in just months speaks to Vietnam’s strategic execution. The Ministry of Science and Technology recently set a national target: to deploy 68,000 5G base stations—more than half of existing 4G sites—to achieve 90% population coverage by year-end. As of now, 26% of the population already has 5G access, a figure expected to jump dramatically.

This emphasis on connectivity is already bearing fruit. The Ministry estimates that digital infrastructure alone contributed to an 18.23 billion USD ICT sector revenue, with both e-commerce and AI economy sectors ringing up strong growth. Countries that develop fast, reliable internet systems often find themselves attractive to tech investors and innovation-driven industries.

Vietnam’s connectivity leap shows how smart infrastructure policies can transform a nation’s digital dynamics. For tech businesses, the message is clear: Vietnam is now a premier market with the speed and scale to support AI, cloud services, and real-time applications. For users, it means smoother streaming, quicker access to mobile apps, and better support for remote collaboration and digital services.

Vietnam’s internet story shows what’s possible when strategic public investment meets technological demand and why in the digital ecosystem, speed is much more than statistics: it’s the currency of capability.