Vietnamobile commercializes 3G service

Vietnamobile on Tuesday became the country’s final mobile operator to commercialize the third generation (3G) network service, in the context that it is now left with only half of the license to deploy the service.

Vietnamobile will provide 3G services at a transmission speed of 21.6 Mbps, including web browsing, online television, video phone call, and video blogging, allowing users to upload their video clips on the web hosting of Vietnamobile at http://3g.vietnamobile.com.vn.

Unlike other 3G service providers, Vietnamobile applies the same prices and SIM card for both cell phones and USB devices. Therefore, customers can choose to use 2G or 3G on their own discretion.

During the beginning period, the network operator will focus on developing 3G services in big cities like HCMC, Danang and Hanoi.

Although being the last mobile service provider to join the 3G market, Vietnamobile’s 3G services has an advantage to compete fairly with its rapid transmission speed of 21.6 Mbps, the fastest speed on the market so far, said CEO Elizabete Fong of Vietnamobile. In addition, the low and economical service costs would contribute to the success of Vietnamobile’s 3G.

Fong said the local telecom market had currently seen the competition rising among seven network providers sharing the same market. Still, there is more room for 3G to develop further thanks to the rapid growth of mobile internet service and rising spending on 3G.

Regarding the concern how Vietnamobile would develop 3G when its joint-venture partner EVN Telecom for 3G is to be transferred to the military run Viettel next year, Fong said Vietnamobile has formed a competition formula for 3G based on transmission speed, convenience and reasonable prices. 

“Regarding the joint-venture 3G license between Vietnamobile and EVN Telecom, we are still pending the final decision of the Government. In the coming time, Vietnamobile will operate normally,” Fong said.

Vietnamobile was established by a joint-venture between Hanoi Telecom Company and the Hong Kong-based telecom firm Hutchison. The network now has 11 million subscribers after switching from CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) to GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology in 2009.

Earlier in November, Hanoi Telecom submitted a document to the Government and related agencies seeking approval to take over the money-losing EVN Telecom, which had earlier been planned for merging into Viettel.

Hanoi Telecom offered to acquire the 3G devices and infrastructure at the same financial value invested by EVN Telecom. As for the strategic fiber-optic infrastructure and other telecom infrastructures, Hanoi Telecom said such facilities should be more efficiently utilized by other telecom corporations.

Thus far, the Government has yet to come to a final decision on transferring the 3G devices and infrastructure of EVN Telecom to Vietnamobile.

VIR