Low cost phones have many features, but cannot be used

VietNamNet Bridge – A lot of low cost mobile phone models have been advertised as having been integrated with many modern features. However, in fact, the features of connecting the community cannot be used.

Low cost mobile phones are referred to the mobile phones with the sale prices of less than 1.5 million dong. The manufacturers commit that though the products are cheap, they still have integrated applications which can meet the requirements of modern people, such as searching on Google, chatting via Yahoo and sending and receiving mails.

Advertised features sound good

Not all low cost mobile phones have the above said integrated applications. Manufacturers will decide which applications to be integrated into their products which target different classes of customers. However, most low cost products by both foreign and domestic manufacturers have been advertised as having the capability to work on websites. 

The cheapest mobile phone model which allows to access Facebook or Yahoo is Gionee N110, which has the sale price at 699,000 dong. MobiStar @83 has been introduced as allowing users to chat on Yahoo, Google Talk, Skype. It also has Opera mini website browser, sold at 990,000 dong.

Higher class models in the low cost product segment include the ones manufactured by Samsung and LG. Samsung C3303, for example, which is sold at 1.39 million dong; allows users to access Facebook and Google. Meanwhile, it is accessible to Facebook, Twitter with LG Wink C100 (1.35 million dong). The users of F-Mobile B750 (1.26 million dong) have been told that they can chat with Vitalk application (an application designed by FPT’s Visky). With Lenovo i350 (1.39 million dong), users can read ebooks and the documents with “.txt”.

…but cannot be used in reality

By launching the low cost models, manufacturers target the young clients, who want to surf on Internet, connect each other on social networks, or chat, but do not have much money to pay for high class products.

The problem is that while the products have tested before launching into the market, or when they perform before the audience, the applications can run well on low cost mobile phone models. However, in reality, very few people say they can use the introduced features.

Quang, a student of the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanity, who is using a Samsung C3303, said he can only use the mobile phone for receiving and making calls, sending SMS or listening to music. One time, Quang did not bring laptop with himself to the lecture hall, he tried to use the mobile phone to access to Google to seek documents, but he failed, even though he registered the GPRS (2,5G) service by VinaPhone.

Vinh from Gia Lai province also complained that though the MobiStar @83 he is using has Opera mini website browser, he has never been able to access websites. “The browser still runs, but when trying to access Google, the phone does not work. I cannot understand why manufacturers still try to integrate applications, even though they cannot be used,” he said.

FPT, when launching the first model which bears F99 brand, stated that the mobile phone allows to connect websites, but people say they cannot access to websites. The representative from P&T Mobile has confirmed that MobiStar @83 is only good at chatting, though with slow speed. The Opera mini browser also can work, but it can work only in some places and sometimes.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Quang Minh, Director of ABTel, which owns Q-Mobile brand, said that ABTel’s phones still can work well, but mobile network operators have blocked the access to some addresses.

“People should blame on “objective reasons”, not on the mobile phones,” he said.

NTB, an experienced person in the applications on mobile phones, said that manufacturers try to provide integrated applications simply because they want to boost sales. “They well understand that it is nearly impossible for the mobile phones with low configuration, small screen and low resolution to access to Facebook or websites,” B said. 

Source: SGTT

Software parks lack strategies, but future is bright

VietNamNet Bridge - Software parks were the key to developing the information technology and communication sector but they lacked united management and detailed strategies, an IT forum heard recently.

To Thi Thu Huong, an official from the Ministry of Information and Communic-ations' Department of Information and Technology, told the forum in HCM City earlier this month that Viet Nam now had seven IT parks and software service centres.

She said the parks had attracted 700 enterprises employing about 30,000 workers and generated 40 per cent of the country's total revenue.

However, Huong said, the parks lacked united management and detailed strategies to reach their potential.

To help resolve the problem, Huong said a draft plan was in the pipeline to establish centralised IT zones in a move to help software parks develop sustainably, to reach an expected turnover to US$500-700 million by 2015.

Vietnamese software parks mainly supplied IT products and services for domestic use, processed software for overseas markets and trained human resources.

With good technology infrastructure and convenient business environment, software parks had managed to attract investment and create networks among companies operating in IT zones.

Quang Trung Software City director Lam Nguyen Hai Long said that besides the attraction of foreign investment, software parks would also help build the image of the nation.

The development of software parks would contribute to the nation's socio-economic growth while ensuring land was used efficiently, Long said.

Long said his company would duplicate the Quang Trung Software City model in provinces and cities selected to develop centralised IT zones.

Source: VNS

FPT decides to go through “4G door” to join telecom market

VietNamNet Bridge – Failing to enter the domestic mobile telecom market by purchasing a domestic telco, FPT (the Corporation for Financing and Promoting Technologies), a big name in the hi-tech sector, has never given up the hope of providing telecom services.

Truong Dinh Anh, General Director of FPT, has affirmed that becoming a mobile network operator is one of the most important goals of the group.

“We tried to seek opportunities to jump into the telecom market, and the unsuccessful affair of purchasing EVN Telecom was one of the opportunities,” Anh said. “Over the last year, since we kicked off the EVN Telecom project, we have got experience about the market; while previously, we once lacked information”.

However, FPT understands well that a stiff competition is occurring on the telecom market, which has forced the ARPU (average revenue per unit) down to the deepest low – four dollar for the highest ARPU. Meanwhile, mobile network operators have continuously launched the unlimited service packages to attract users.

“With the current ARPU, any new operator would not be able to survive,” Anh said. Only big operators, who have been providing services for the last many years, can survive and develop, because they have got enough money to build firm infrastructure.

Over the last 3-4 years, when joining the market, new network operators can attract certain numbers of clients by offering big discounts. However, the clients would leave the operators and use the services of other new service providers, who also offer big preferences.

“A lot of operators have suffered big losses because they joined the market at unsuitable moments,” Anh said.

He went on to say that FPT needs to enter the mobile telecom market through “a new door”, meaning that FPT needs to target new technologies which make it superior to other rivals. And FPT is targeting LTE technology.

In August 2010, FPT got the license to test LTE in Hanoi and HCM City. However, since LTE has been just on the trial period, every operator has been allocated 10 MHz, FPT still cannot apply LTE in a big scale.

“Every operator needs to have 20-30 MHz in order to provide good LTE services. We are waiting for the LTE technology to become “ripe” and the equipment to become cheap enough to begin launching LTE services,” he said.

3G technology appeared in 2002, but 3G equipment only became affordable by people after 7-8 years. The base stations for LTE technology remain too expensive which is double the stations for 3G. Besides, the terminal equipment for LTE technology is also 6-8 times more expensive than 3G devices.

For the time being, FPT has been moving ahead with the plan to conquer foreign telecom markets. It is conducting negotiations to purchase telecom companies in Laos and Cambodia.

Over the last three years, FPT has been following its 3-phase strategy to make outward investment. In the first phase, FPT builds up backbone lines to the borders, from which it provides connection capacity to operators in Laos and Cambodia.

FPT has created a “revolution” in the broadband market in Cambodia. “Before the appearance of FPT, 1 Mbps in Cambodia was priced at 1000 dollars, while the figure has dropped to below 300 dollars,” he said.

Now FPT is taking the second step in the strategy – buying existing networks in Cambodia to provide services in the market.

Anh has declined to reveal which companies in Laos and Cambodia FPT plans to purchase – a broadband Internet company or a mobile company.

Meanwhile, Deputy General Director of FPT said in April 2011, FPT officially became the partner of two Lao telcos, Lao Tel and ETL. It is expected that FPT will begin providing services in August in Laos.

FPT is also eyeing Nigerian market. On July 5, FPT and Century Technologies signed an MOU on strategic cooperation in telecom.
vietnamnet.com.vn

What iPhone 4s used for?

he smart phones with integrated features and utilities, the products of the latest technologies, prove to be even more useful and dangerous than professional spies.

A “tragicomedy” has been narrated by office workers these days that a member of an information technology forum has discovered the adultery committed by his girlfriend, thanks to the smart phone iPhone 4.

With preeminent features, smart phones now can be described as professional spies. Especially, they can serve as the witnesses in the cases of adultery.

TinhT, a member of a forum, has ignited a hot topic on the forum, after he has discovered that his girlfriend has cheated on him.

TinhT is an IT engineer who loves hi-tech products and he regularly has to go on business. Therefore, he decided to buy an iPhone 4 for his girlfriend, so that he and the girl can make video chat with FaceTime function on the days when TinhT is away on business.

One day, after returning from a business trip, TinhT asked the girl to go out with him. However, the girl refused to go out, reasoning that her parents did not want her to go out on the day. The man, who wanted to test the new function Mobile Me on iPhone 4, decided to find out where the iPhone 4 he gave to the girlfriend as a gift was.

TinhT could not believe his eyes when reading the notice that the iPhone was located on Tran Duy Hung Street, the street famous with many guest houses for lovers. He decided to come directly to the site and easily saw with his eyes the girlfriend coming out from a guest house with a strange man.

Getting angry, the member decided to post an entry on the forum. The guy expressed his “sincere thanks” to Steve Jobs and showed his absolute belief on iPhone products.

In fact, the special function of iPhone 4 has been realized by IT engineers for a long time. The Anh, an IT engineer said that a friend of his has been insisting him on helping purchase a smart phone with 3G which allows to install Google Latitude. The friend revealed that he would give the phone to the girlfriend so as to effectively control the girl.

“My friend is a contractor and he regularly has to leave Hanoi for business. He wants to check if the girl cheats on him,” The Anh said.

As such, no need to purchase expensive iPhone 4, one just need to purchase Android, Symbian phones with 3G connection, then install with Google Latitude and Google Maps, to make the phones serve as the spies for them.

Several months ago, local newspapers reported a case, where a mobile phone stealer was caught with the support of the Google’s software.

Meanwhile, Duong, the owner of a big mobile phone shop on Cach Mang Thang Tam in HCM City, said that the solutions used in the cases are just free solutions. Therefore, high-tech fans have been trying to use Mobile Spy. The software allows to report all information about the calls, messages, and locations.

All technologies have their morality limits. By the nature, Mobile Me, Google Latitude or any other software are produced with the security purpose. In modern countries, users do not have the habit of changing SIM, and they want to use different services with such a mobile phone (credit cards, personal information). Therefore, if the stolen mobile phones’ users register security services, the system will track down and provide concrete information, which helps the actual owners to get back the phones.

However, in many cases, the functions are not used for the right purposes. Security experts said that mobile phone is listed among the top products with personal information security problems. A smart phone now contents more information than a personal computer, including “sensitive information” about account number, credit cards, and personal videos and pictures.

Meanwhile, the spy ware, after getting installed in the phones, can record the information and upload into servers from which evildoers can download to exploit the information.
source vietnamnet

Data digitization market now open

The data digitization market has been taking shape in Vietnam for the last several years, but it is still far from becoming an attractive business.
 

Data digitization does not simply means data input, but it includes different types of services, from the business process outsourcing (BPO), data management and storage, to content service providing and customer care. In mid 2000s, a lot of foreign companies arrived in Vietnam to open data digitization centers and provide BPO services, mainly to foreign clients.
 
They also predicted that the domestic data digitization market would witness a boom in the context of the high demand for information transfer in the fields of e-government, education, healthcare or businesses.
 
The pioneers in the market
 
Digi-Texx and GHP are the two German companies which have been present in Vietnam for the last 10 years. GHP staff specializes in digitizing image or audio data for storage and transmission; handling research data or invoices for customers. The projects on data entry and data management at GHP are so big that they sometimes cover hundreds of thousands of records a day.
 
Meanwhile, the daily work of Digi-Texx staff is entering data or making reports for German clients, and making electronic storage for newspapers or libraries. The German company has been striving to expand the domestic market in recent years.
 
According to Vu Thanh Nam Duc, Personnel Director of Digi-Texx, the company once faced many difficulties in the first phase of operation; however, everything has been going more smoothly thanks to the increasing demand in the market. The turnover from domestic services in the first six months of the year increased by 160 percent in comparison with 2010. The main clients are multinational groups in Vietnam and state agencies.
 
The domestic enterprises pioneering in providing data digitization services, namely Lac Viet, FPT, CMC and Tinh Van, are also carrying out big projects on digitizing school materials, investigation documents, vouchers and online procurement documents. 
 
In 2000, Lac Viet handled the process of library management for the Hue and Da Nang Cities’ School Material Centers, while the process has been also applied to the libraries in Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces.
 
FPT has been running the BPO center in Da Nang City for the last several years in anticipation of the forecast increasing demand. Recently, the group has signed with the Hanoi National University the contract on building OpenBook Vietnam, an open library system. In the first three years, it is expected to set up 200,000 sources of documents which will be provided free of charge to users.
 
The project that has been highlighted by FPT has the key program in the long term plan to digitize school materials, teaching syllabuses, research works of universities, and post the materials into Internet or mobile devices to provide to users.
 
The market large enough for all
 
According to experts, in 2005, Vietnamese users mostly accessed utilities from foreign websites. Meanwhile, the domestic information sources have become more profuse. 
 
IDC Vietnam has estimated that BPO services brought the turnover of 23.6 million dollars in 2010. This is really a small figure which shows that the market remains open and large enough for many service providers.
 
The General Department of Taxation has recently announced that it will use professional service in collecting information for personal income tax finalization. The department said that the total number of files of personal income tax declarations in 2009 sent to data processing center was 400,000. It is expected that there will be 10 million declarations in 2011.
 
Analysts also say that the data volume at public organizations that needs processing has been increasing. Meanwhile, the organizations tend to hire professional services instead of dealing with the data themselves, because this is considered the best way to ease the pressure on the labor force, equipment, administration management and training fees. 
 
Source: SGTT

Foreign mobile services make mark

Apart from foreign owned Vietnamobile, the domestic telecom market is dominated by Vietnamese network providers.

With Vietnamobile winning the prestigious VICTA 2010 award for "Mobile telecom provider with the best subscriber package," and the ambitious comeback of Beeline, the question has been raised as to what difference foreign network providers will make.

Vietnamobile's aggressive tariff plans and generous promotion offers have come as quite a surprise. Hefty off-net promotions of up to 50 per cent savings on off – net per minute charge and innovative on-net plans offering free talktime everyday with only VND5,000 per day, not to mention entertaining road show events in many rural provinces in the last few months with their nationwide seamless quality coverage.

Vietnamobile continues to invest in in optimising and expanding network coverage to meet customers' communication needs with most recent achievement in extending network coverage to the central region's Hai Van pass tunnel, becoming the fourth operator to outreach to this high traffic.

More than two years into operation, Vietnamobile has demonstrated its commitment to extend its reach to every corner of the country, proof of its commitment to "becoming an important customer-comes-first mobile telecom network in Viet Nam", according to Elizabete Fong, Vietnamobile CEO.

Aggressive

In an interview regarding the application for capital augmentation by foreign network operators, Nguyen Van Tu, deputy director of the Ha Noi Department of Planning and Investment, said: "The Vietnamobile network runs on fast, aggressive investment disbursement, proving that the company is a serious investor in the Vietnamese market."

The seemingly ‘saturated' mobile telecom market has swung back into life with the ambitious comeback of foreign owned Beeline. Although the company aimes at becoming the fourth largest service provider following on from Vinaphone, MobiFone and Viettel, new CEO Michael Sasha Cluzel thinks that it might take some time in the wake of Vietnamobile's significant expansion.

Judging from the US$500 million VinpelCom Group investment in Beeline, the operator looks set to achieve a substantial market share over time.

Vietnamobile, on the other hand, is currently acting fast in order to perfect its network, service and subscriber plan quality to improve competitiveness, successfully testing 3G technology set for launch later this year.

Although experts anticipate potentially tough competition in terms of quality, customer service and tariffs between foreign and domestic operators, healthy competition could have a very positive market effect, offering mobile users increasingly better services and prices. An emerging trend among network providers is to focus on branch-out markets. Vietnamobile, for example, recently introduced a variety of plans including its VND5,000-a-day Maxi Talk package aimed at round-the-clock users, its VND30,000 per month G5 Free Talk Group Plan package aimed at central regions and its Biz 30 package aimed at office workers, among others.

Evidence has shown that when the price race becomes ineffective, network operators will have to resort to smart, innovative and effective tariff plans.

Concentrating on specific user groups will help operators better care for their customers, who in turn will receive higher value-for-money benefits. While Vietnamobile is taking firm steps in realising its ambition of "succeeding in Viet Nam" the mobile telecom community will have to wait and see if Beeline will be capable of breaking into the Vietnamese market with its "market-tempered" team.

Source: VNS