Ministry announced four winners of 3G licenses
On April 2, the Ministry of Information and Communications declared the names of four telecom service providers who won the third generation (3G) licenses: Viettel, VinaPhone, MobiFone and EVN Telecom – Hanoi Telecom.
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The press conference to announce the names of the 3G licence winners in Hanoi on April 2. |
The results were accurately forecasted by experts because Viettel, VinaPhone, and MobiFone are the three largest mobile networks in Vietnam. Only the last license was a prediction. Finally, EVN Telecom – Hanoi Telecom passed S-Fone and G-Tel to take the last license.
Within three months since the announcement, the winners will have to fulfill the necessary formalities such as paying deposits, setting up technical systems, and equipment. After, the Ministry of Information and Communications will check and officially grant the 3G license and the frequency bands.
Telecom service providers can provide 3G services at least one month after they hold the license and nine months as the latest from the day they take the license.
Talking to the media about the 3G service charges, Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang said for sure that the charges will be as the same as the voice services of the current 2G networks.
The prices of data services will be set by the service providers. The Ministry of Information and Communications doesn’t control the prices of all the services and all the companies, but only some basic services and businesses that control the market.
According to the chief of the Telecommunications Agency, Pham Hong Hai, all six applicants surpassed the preliminary round and the four winners are in the following ranking:
Viettel: 966.67/1,000 points
VinaPhone: 620.96/1,000 points
MobiFone: 563.91/1,000 points
EVN Telecom – Hanoi Telecom: 430.65/1,000 points
GTel: 271.50 points
SPT: 268.66 points
Great expectations on the potential of the 3G market in Vietnam made the race for the 3G license very intense. It is also a surprise for a deposit offered by telecom networks to provide 3G services. For instance, Viettel committed to spend VND 12.8 trillion to build infrastructure in the first three years and deposit VND 4.5 trillion.
The total funding committed by the four winners to provide 3G services is up to VND 33.8 trillion and the total deposit hits VND 8.1 trillion.
About the losers, Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang said if they want to provide 3G services, they can cooperate with the winners or they can supply 3G services on other frequency bands.
The Ministry of Information and Communications will follow each step of the winners to see whether they realize their commitments or not. Depending on violations, they will be fined. Within 24 months without providing 3G services to 10% of the population, their 3G license will be revoked.
On March 23, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved the results of the race for 3G licenses. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, this examination was prepared very carefully under the law on telecommunications, the international precedence and Vietnam’s commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The license is valid for 15 years.
Huyen Chi
