By Bernama,
Hanoi : Telecommunications industry insiders are predicting that 3G (third generation) technology will be introduced in Vietnam this year, the Vietnam news agency (VNA) reported.
With 3G technology, mobile providers in Vietnam will be able to provide more value-added services for their mobile users such as videophone, on-line video streaming and high-speed internet and music download.
“Vietnam ‘s telecom market expects to reach a turnover of between US$ 6 to US$7 billion in 2010, which promises a huge market for mobile service providers,” said a member of the management board of VNPT Group – which operates mobile service providers Mobifone and Vinaphone.
VNPT spokesman Bui Quoc Viet said that Mobifone and Vinaphone were prepared to introduce 3G soon.
Vietnam currently has nearly 80 million mobile subscribers, of which Viettel accounts for 26 million, Mobifone 26 million and Vinaphone 20 million.
The industry has seen 30 percent annual growth in recent years.
In the Ho Chi Minh City, the city’s Mobile Co’s senior technician Tran Lam Thinh said the company was preparing to introduce a metropolitan area network (MAN), linking the city with high-speed connections using fibre-optic cable and other digital media to meet increasing customer demand for high-speed internet service.
Thinh said the MAN would help serve industrial and hi-tech zones, major commercial centres, and new urban areas with high-speed connections. It would also connect State administrative agencies, facilitating the provision of e-Government services as well as promoting the growth of e-commerce.
The city’s Department of Information and Communication, HCM City People’s Committee, Dong A Bank and HCM City Water Supply Co were all preparing to utilise the MAN, Thinh said.
Mobifone has a Call Me service for subscribers who have their incoming and outgoing calls barred. It enables them to send SMS to other domestic subscribers to call them back.
Subscribers can send five free domestic messages in one week.