The inauguration of the 4G lab at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (Photo: qdnd.vn)

The 365,000 USD lab includes a complete 4G LTE system that provides full services of the 4G mobile telecommunications network such as an eNodeB receiver and transmitter, an Evolved Packet Core, an IP Multimedia Subsystem, and Online Charging System. Teachers and students can conduct simulative End to End calls, visit websites, calculate service charges, data, and other activities.

Tao Duc Thang, Deputy Director General of Viettel, said: “We hope the lab will narrow the gap between theory and practice for the students. When they graduate, we can recruit them to work for us and we won’t have to retrain them.”   

The Ministry of Information and Telecommunications has introduced a strategic vision on digital technology development in Vietnam with the motto “cooperation but independence from foreign technology”. The 4G lab represents cooperation between business and education toward building a digital society.

PTIT students said they used to study theory which was difficult to imagine. The lab gives them experience with equipment, helps them understand the issues, and benefits their future work.

“Before they had the lab, it was very difficult to simulate activities. Now we can experience real technology,” a student said.

Having a 4G lab at a university is rare. It’s a practical way to train human resources in the telecommunications sector.