Vietnam's most widely used network provider, Viettel, has finished first in our list of Southeast Asia's top 10 telco and streaming brands. Viettel is the biggest player in Vietnam's telco market, and is known for having the widest coverage, even in remote areas. It remains the number one telecommunications provider in Vietnam with 56.2% of the mobile subscriber market share, and in October this year, it became the first company to officially provide 5G services in Vietnam.
Viettel received an overall best brand score of 66.5%, achieving more than a two-point lead over its nearest competitor, AIS (the largest mobile network operator in Thailand), which scored 64.35%. It's ranking in first position was largely due to a high customer service score in its domestic market along with top scores for buying experience and trustworthiness. Viettel didn't make the top 10 of any other market outside Vietnam.
The ranking is based on Campaign’s authoritative list of Southeast Asia’s top 50 brands, created in partnership with research firm Milieu Insight. We have published reports on the top 10 brands from the surveyed markets (Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore) across 10 sectors. The brands were evaluated using attributes such as awareness, purchase, quality, buying experience, customer service, trustworthiness, innovation, brand touchpoints (ease of use across all digital and offline interactions), and advocacy (degree of recommendation).
Over the next few weeks, Campaign Asia-Pacific will provide a comprehensive analysis of the top brands by sector in Southeast Asia. This is the seventh in a 10-part series covering sectors such as food, electronics, travel, apparel & accessories, financial services, beauty, telcos & streaming, ecommerce, transport & delivery, automotive, and food delivery. The chart below shows the scores of the top overall telcos and streaming brands in Southeast Asia. Following the chart, you’ll find the top 10 automotive brands in individual markets, along with a brief analysis of the top 10 performers across the region.
Overall, the top telco and streaming brands in SEA is split between country level telecommunications leaders like Viettel, AIS, Truemove and Singtel, and the major multinational streamers like Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and Youtube. Across Southeast Asia, Facebook reigns supreme when it comes to the social streaming platforms, followed by YouTube, TikTok and then X (formerly Twitter). But local support for national telco operators in countries like Vietnam and Thailand trumps all else where high scores from satisfied customers, particularly for customer service and buying experience, have enabled telco providers like Viettel and AIS to achieve top ranking. Speedy service, wide coverage, 5G internet, and affordable deals have won them loyal support.
Let's have a closer look at the top 10 SEA performers:
Viettel
Founded in 1989, Viettel Group is currently the largest telecommunications group in Vietnam with 76 million customers. It also accounts for over 50% of the mobile service market share in the country, and in October officially launched the country's first 5G network. The company has also expanded internationally and through its subsidiaries, Viettel provides telecommunication services in 11 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America. Viettel is clearly a firm favourite among Vietnamese consumers. The telco's highest score was for customer service (86%), followed by buying experience (75%). This tallies with their reputation for frequently offering deals for on-net calls and providing free 4G/5G Viettel usage. Viettel is also one of the most trusted brands among Vietnamese consumers receiving a trust score of 69%.
AIS
Advanced Info Service (AIS) is the largest mobile network operator in Thailand, boasting a significant market share of approximately 49% and serving over 46 million subscribers as of the end of 2024. Founded in 1986, AIS was the first company to introduce cellular technology to Thailand. Today, its 4G network reaches 98% of the population across all 77 provinces, while its 5G network is rapidly expanding, currently covering nearly 90% of the population. AIS received one of the highest scores among Thai consumers for customer service (79%), followed by buying experience (77%). It clearly enjoys high brand awareness throughout Thailand and with loyal support for its services, including 24-hour assistance and AIS Fibre, which aims to set high standards in home internet service quality, it looks set to continue being a frontrunner in the country's telecommunications landscape.
Facebook
Facebook boasts over three billion active users, making it the largest social media platform globally. The platform is extremely popular in Southeast Asia, with several countries in the region ranking among the highest globally for Facebook users. Facebook Live, the platform's live streaming service, enables users to broadcast real-time video to their friends, followers, or the public. Thailand ranked Facebook fourth in its top 10 telcos and streaming brands. With more than 50.05 million users in Thailand, Facebook is one of the most commonly used social media platforms and scored highly for brand awareness (85%) and buying experience (72%). Facebook's popularity and brand recognition among Thai consumers ultimately secured it the third position in the overall SEA top 10.
TrueMove H
TrueMove H is the second-largest mobile telecommunications operator in Thailand. Founded in 2010, today TrueMove H boasts approximately 51.89 million subscribers, capturing around 32% of the mobile market share in Thailand. With extensive network coverage, it provides the widest 4G coverage in Thailand, reaching all 77 provinces and over 700 districts. While it received a lower ranking than closest competitor AIS, TrueMove H is also popular with Thai consumers winning a 75% score for customer service and 73% for overall brand awareness.
Netflix
The streaming giant, that was founded in 1997 originally as a DVD rental service, now boasts around 283 million subscribers worldwide. As of 2024, Netflix has surpassed 10 million subscribers in Southeast Asia, capturing approximately 49% of the streaming sector's total subscription revenue. Localised content, with original series and films from countries like Thailand and Indonesia, have been a hit with audiences. For instance, the Thai thriller Hunger and the Indonesian series Cigarette Girl have both been well-received, even making it to the Global Top 10 List. Netflix made the top 10 of every market in the region for the telcos and streaming category, including first place in Thailand, Philippines and Singapore. Thai consumers awarded Netflix its highest score of 86% for buying experience.
YouTube
Founded in 2005, YouTube has grown to be one of the top streaming platforms globally, revolutionising how users consume video content. YouTube Live allows real-time interaction through live streaming, enabling creators to connect with their audiences directly. As of 2023, YouTube accounted for about 34% of the social media market share in Indonesia, which is the highest in Southeast Asia, while countries like Thailand and Malaysia also show strong usage patterns with millions of active users consuming content on connected TV screens. Around 50% of all YouTube users in Southeast Asia are classified as 'YouTube Enthusiasts', spending over 10 hours per week on the platform. YouTube made the top five of every market in the region, including first ranking in both Indonesia and Malaysia in the telcos and streaming category.
Telkomsel
Telkomsel is the largest mobile operator in Indonesia, boasting over 170 million subscribers as of 2024, which accounts for approximately 58% of the country's mobile market share. Telkomsel was the first operator to launch 4G LTE services in the country and has recently begun trialing 5G technology, positioning itself at the forefront of Indonesia's digital transformation. Popular in its domestic market, Indonesian consumers ranked Telkomsel second only to YouTube in its top 10 telcos and streaming brands. It's highest score was for customer service (71%) and has recently implemented AI-driven solutions to streamline customer interactions and improve response times.
Globe Telecom
Globe Telecom is a leading telecommunications provider in the Philippines, known for its extensive mobile and broadband services. As of 2024, Globe holds a significant market position with a 54.7% share of the mobile revenue market. Filipino consumers ranked Globe third overall in their top 10 telcos and streaming brands, coming just behind Netflix and YouTube. Globe benefits from high brand awareness in the Philippines (83%) and purchase frequency (69%) with a significant portion attributed to its prepaid brands, including Globe Prepaid and GOMO. Globe continues to find success with its strategy of meeting the growing demand for affordable connectivity among Filipinos, particularly in underserved sectors.
Smart
Founded in 1991, Smart Communications is a major telecommunications and digital services provider in the Philippines. It's one of the largest mobile network operators in the country, boasting approximately 55.2 million subscribers. The company has also achieved impressive network coverage, reaching 97% of the population with its 3G, 4G, and 5G services. Smart was ranked fourth by Filipino consumers in their top 10 telcos and streaming brands. This is one place below its close competitor Globe, but still benefits from high brand awareness in its domestic market (78%) and purchase frequency of 70%, one point higher than Globe.
TikTok
Known for its short-form video content, TikTok is one of the world's leading streaming platforms with over one billion monthly active users. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia leads the way with approximately 127.5 million active users, making it the largest market for TikTok globally. Other countries in the region also show strong usage, with Vietnam having around 69.67 million users, Thailand with 53.43 million, and the Philippines with 48.03 million users. TikTok was ranked third by Vietnamese consumers and fourth by Indonesian consumers in their top 10 telcos and streaming brands. While TikTok is gaining ground in SEA, YouTube remains the most popular video streaming platform in every market in the region.
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