Is the internet speed in Vietnam slow?  

As far as I know, repairs seem to come slow in Vietnam so many areas have damaged wires that cause issues with speed. You are less likely to experience this in the cities though. I don't really know ways around it outside of what you already mentioned. 

I have had issues when traveling to Vietnam but they mostly get it sorted if you are staying in the right place. They are more likely to fix issues for tourists who are looking to spend money vs locals it seems when it comes to internet services. 

When it comes to Asian countries, Vietnam is further behind in terms of speed and reliability. I think as things like Starlink expand, it will be a problem of the past soon enough. 

I can understand both sides of the argument. While it's true that internet speed in Vietnam can be slow in some areas, it's also true that it can be fast in other areas. It really depends on where you are and what service provider you're using. I personally haven't had any major issues with it, but I've heard from others that it can be a problem in certain areas.

In most cases, this is not an issue in the cities. I have never had issues with speed until I went further away from city hubs. If you need access to the internet for work or whatever, it is best to stay in one of the major cities at a hotel that offers reliable speeds.