Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) Thursday announced the list of four mobile phone networks eligible to provide the third-generation (3G) services.
The military-run Viettel with 966.76 points, Vinaphone with 620.96, MobiFone and EVN Mobile-HT Mobile incorporation with 563.91 and 430.65, respectively, were successful.
The MIC said outside Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone, the last position was fiercely contested.
Saigon Post and Telecommunications Service Corp. (SPT) and GTel Mobile were disqualified but could still cooperate with qualified ones to supply the services, said Pham Hong Hai, head of the MIC’s Telecommunications Department.
The 3G technology gives mobile users access to value-added services such as video calls, online video streaming and high-speed internet.
The qualified companies will have to complete the requirements associated with deposits, network infrastructure and equipment within the next three months and start the services in nine months then, said Deputy Minister of MIC Le Nam Thang.
The four mobile phone networks pledged to invest a total of US$2 billion in the first three years to deploy the technology, with up to 30,000 transmitting stations, equal to the current number of network stations, Hai said.
The ministry will revoke licenses if the networks fail to fulfill commitments to supply services to at least 10 per cent of residential areas within 24 months, Thang noted.
Vietnam has more than 70 million mobile subscribers. Viettel and MobiFone service 26 million each while Vinaphone hosts 20 million. The industry expects annual revenues of US$7 billion in 2010. (Local sources)
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