Proposal to increase telecommunication rates again

The management agency is continuing to request the Government to allow further adjustments to mobile information service prices.

“The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Information and Communications are continuing to propose that the Government allow further adjustments to fares according to market mechanisms. Fares are set on the basis of cost, market supply and demand, and the general price level of the region.”

The above information was given at the conference to deploy the 2014 work plan of the Department of Telecommunications (Ministry of Information and Communications), December 13, 2013.

Accordingly, fare adjustments are established based on cost price, market supply and demand and general price level of the region.

The proposal to further adjust telecommunications service prices at the present time is likely to create negative effects in public opinion, because recently, when network operators simultaneously increased 3G service prices, with the highest increase of up to 40%, many consumers of this service were upset.

At the conference, Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang "highly appreciated the adjustment of mobile information service prices, including 3G, which is completely consistent with current policies and regulations".

However, Mr. Le Nam Thang also said that Vietnam's telecommunications service prices have reached the same level or lower than the average level of the region and the world, relatively suitable for people's income, so the most important issue now is service quality. And according to him, in 2014, it is necessary to focus on improving the quality of telecommunications services, especially services such as broadband Internet access, mobile, 3G.

Regarding the restructuring project of Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), developed by the Department of Telecommunications, according to Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang, "this is a decisive turning point for VNPT Group, affecting the telecommunications market, users of services as well as the apparatus and personnel of VNPT".

“State management agencies must ensure a competitive and sustainable telecommunications market. After the VNPT restructuring project is approved by the Government, the Telecommunications Department must consider restructuring other State-owned enterprises in the telecommunications sector such as Gtel, SPT,…” - ICTnews quoted Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang as saying./.

According to VOV