ST Telemedia purchases 10 percent VNPT Global’s shares; VTC and EVN join hands to provide telecom services; One more digital signature certifier licensed; Viettel to distribute its own cell phones in 2010
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Singapore Technologies Telemedia (ST Telemidea) became the second largest shareholder of VNPT Global, a member of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), after they signed an investment cooperation agreement in Hanoi on March 11.
Under this contract, ST Telemedia will buy 10 percent of the shares of VNPT Global, ranking second behind VNPT.
VNPT Global was established in January 2008 with three founder shareholders: VNPT, Vietnam Mobile Service Company (VMS) and the Vietnam Postal Corporation.
VNPT Global specializes in international telecommunication investment, operating in the fields of building international networks for VNPT, supplying added value services for VNPT’s customers and cooperating with foreign telecom partners.
VNPT Global has expanded to Singapore, Hong Kong, the US and the Czech Republic.
VTC and EVN join hands to provide telecom services
The Vietnam Multimedia Corporation (VTC) and the Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) have signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The two sides will join together to provide VTC’s content services and value added services by EVN Telecom’s 3G (third generation) and GSM networks.
The two sides will use and share their services and products, such as telecom, TV and content-based services.
The agreement aims to utilize both sides’ infrastructure, capability and specializations effectively to save costs.
Viettel withdraws from Vietnam Mobile Awards
One of the three largest mobile operators in Vietnam, Viettel, retreated from the selection process for the most favourite mobile network (Vietnam Mobile Awards) 2009, which will be announced on March 14.
The Vietnam Mobile Awards, held by e-Chip Magazine and VietNamNet Newspaper, reflects the user’s selection and assessment of telecom products and services in Vietnam, including mobile operators, mobile phone brands and handheld retailers.
This is the fifth Vietnam Mobile Awards. In the last four times, Viettel didn’t win the first position for the two most important titles “The Most Favourite Mobile Network of the Year” and the “Mobile Network with the Best Customer Service”.
MobiFone has won the “Most Favourite Mobile Network” title for the four consecutive years, since 2005.
However, Viettel is praised to have the quickest growth rates of subscribers and coverage. It currently has nine network codes 098, 097, 0163, 0164, 0165, 0166, 0167, 0168, 0169 while MobiFone has 7 network codes 090, 093, 0121, 0122, 0124, 0126, 0128 and VinaPhone with six 091, 094, 0123, 0125, 0127, 0129.
One more digital signature certifier licensed
The Ministry of Information and Communications has granted a license to provide digital signature certification services to Nacencomm, a subsidiary of Hanoi Electronics Company (Hanel).
Nacencomm is the second company to supply digital signature certification service in Vietnam, after the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT).
The firm is allowed to offer this service in e-transactions between enterprises, organizations and individuals. It will provide three kinds of digital certification: Vid Sign for individuals, Vid Stamp for organizations and Vid Web for websites.
Viettel to distribute its own cell phones in 2010
Viettel’s Deputy General Director Tong Viet Trung disclosed that Viettel would introduce its own mobile phone brand in Vietnam in the next six months.
Trung said that Viettel imported handhelds to sell to its customers, in the form of subsidies. Manufacturing handheld equipment on the spot can help cut 40 percent of production costs.
Viettel will focus on mobile phones (average and low prices), computers and USB 3G. This group is now choosing its partners.
The price for popular cell phones in Vietnam is around $23/unit and Viettel expects to offer similar phones at prices 20-30 percent lower.
EVN Telecom will offer 3G services
A representative of EVN Telecom revealed that they will launch 3G services in the second quarter of 2010.
At the time of its launch, the 3G network will cover 20 percent of Vietnam’s territory and 40 percent of the population, just as EVN Telecom committed to the Ministry of Information and Communications.
This operator has installed around 2500 base transceiver stations in 63 provinces and cities across Vietnam.
EVN Telecom – Hanoi Telecom earned a license to set up a 3G network and provide 3G mobile services along with three other firms – Viettel, VinaPhone and MobiFone. They have invested around 600 billion dong to build this network.
Thus far, only VinaPhone and Mobile offer 3G services.
VietNamNet/TBKTVN
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