Inadequacies in BTS station construction
In order to expand the scale as well as ensure the quality of transmission and reception to serve customers, in recent years, telecommunications enterprises have continuously promoted the installation of mobile information transmission and reception stations (BTS stations) in the province. However, currently, many BTS stations are installed and put into operation without being licensed or without location approval...
(Baonghean) -In order to expand the scale as well as ensure the quality of transmission and reception to serve customers, in recent years, telecommunications enterprises have continuously promoted the installation of mobile information transmission and reception stations (BTS stations) in the province. However, currently, many BTS stations are installed and put into operation without being licensed or without location approval...
Nghe An currently has about 2,325 BTS stations installed in the area (an increase of 246 stations compared to the end of 2010), but the number of stations licensed for construction accounts for less than 50% and most of them are in the inner city. Type 2 stations in non-urban areas are still "springing up like mushrooms" but most of them do not have licenses. Decision 119 of the Provincial People's Committee dated December 24, 2009 of the Provincial People's Committee clearly stipulates that the authority to grant construction permits for type 1 BTS stations belongs to the Department of Construction, and type 2 belongs to the People's Committees of districts. Previously, the Provincial People's Committee also issued Decision 72 stipulating the areas that must apply for licenses and the licensing authority for type 2 BTS stations. However, in reality, telecommunications enterprises are still "doing it their own way", racing to install BTS stations, ignoring the procedures for applying for construction permits, approving BTS station installation locations, taking shortcuts by signing contracts with wards and communes or negotiating with families to rent land and erect poles. Due to the benefits, the wards and communes do not report, so the People's Committees of districts and towns almost do not know the number of BTS stations installed illegally in the area. Typically, Viettel currently has up to 1,500 BTS stations but only 2 stations have construction permits and about 200 stations have requested approval for planning locations. Units such as Mobifone, Vinaphone, ... the number of BTS stations granted licenses is about 50%, even 80% for some units. Only Hanoi Telecommunications Joint Stock Company (Vietnam mobile) has done a good job of applying for construction permits with 100% of stations licensed.
Not only violating the construction permit application, enterprises also deliberately ignored the inspection of BTS works. At the end of 2010, the Department of Information and Communications inspected the compliance with regulations on construction and inspection of BTS stations for 7 enterprises investing in the construction of mobile information network infrastructure systems in the area. At the time of inspection, there were 904 stations that had been inspected and were applying for inspection certificates, the total number of stations that had not been inspected was 324. Regarding the declaration of conformity for BTS works, after inspecting 154 stations, only 58 stations had posted inspection certificates and declarations of conformity. Regarding construction permits, the total number of antenna pole construction locations with permits was 76, while 1,325 locations had not. Regarding the request for approval of installation locations, there are 922 BTS stations with approved locations, 1,256 BTS stations have been installed but have not yet requested for location approval, including the Military Telecommunications Corporation - Nghe An branch with 917 stations, the Electricity Mobile Telecommunications Center with 98 stations... Through inspection, the inspection force also discovered that some BTS stations of several enterprises have lightning protection grounding index higher than the specific allowable index: Telecommunications Service Center Region 1 has 07 stations; the Military Telecommunications Corporation - Nghe An branch with 03 stations; the Electricity Mobile Telecommunications Center with 01 station. In addition, the Electricity Mobile Telecommunications Center also has 04 stations with incorrect coordinates.
Mr. Le Dac Kien - Director of Nghe An Telecommunications admitted: "Due to the policy of promoting customer service, businesses have not strictly implemented regulations in completing documents and procedures for building BTS stations, but state management agencies should also consider shortening the procedures for applying for construction permits to facilitate businesses". Mr. Chu Tuan Anh - Deputy Head of Housing Management Department (Department of Construction), said: In fact, telecommunications businesses are well aware of the regulations when building BTS stations, but due to the pressure of completing the target, businesses deliberately ignore the regulations. Therefore, the Department of Construction is the unit assigned the authority to grant construction permits for type 1 BTS stations, but from 2008 to now, it has only granted permits for about 200 BTS stations whose locations have been approved by the Department of Information and Communications.
On the other hand, in some places, people's awareness of the impact of electromagnetic waves on human health is not correct and not complete, so many times when the licensing procedures and documents are smooth, businesses face barriers such as obstructions and complaints from the people. Some regulations from state agencies such as the Vinh City People's Committee requiring businesses to seek permission from neighboring households when building BTS stations are also an obstacle leading to violations by businesses. In addition, the document regulating the appropriate announcement does not specify the mandatory announcement time, creating conditions for telecommunications businesses to circumvent the law... Mr. Hoang Duc Vinh - Deputy Head of the Telecommunications Management Department (Department of Information and Communications), said: In fact, the management agency has inspected and punished, but it has only stopped at reminding, supplementing, completing procedural documents and handling administrative violations, but cannot require telecommunications businesses to dismantle installed BTS stations. To resolve the shortcomings in BTS station construction, in addition to enhancing the proactiveness and voluntary compliance with regulations of enterprises, the relevant agencies also need to pay more attention to the management, construction licensing, and quality inspection of works, mobile information receiving and transmitting stations in the area. The legal framework for construction licensing for mobile receiving and transmitting stations must be completed soon. Enterprises themselves must also review their BTS station installation processes and procedures and coordinate well with management agencies to receive support from local authorities.
Khanh Ly
