Thursday, October 11, 2007
In November 2007, mobile Internet service will be available for trial use in Hanoi and HCM City, allowing subscribers of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) to access broadband Internet any place covered by WiMax.
This technology also promises a boom of telecom subscribers as many more services are integrated into mobile phones, such as low-cost VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) phone service, online TV, etc.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has signed a decision permitting VNPT to experimentally test Mobile Wimax (mobile Internet) service in Hanoi and HCM City after the group recorded success in its test in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai with Fix WiMax (fixed wireless Internet) service.
VNPT will begin to test mobile Internet service in Hanoi and HCM City this November with three base stations and 30-50 access points.
Le Quang Dao, leader of the WiMax testing group of the Vietnam Data and Communications Company (VDC), said that the transmission speed may reach 4-5 Mbps within a diameter of 10km.
Dao said that this technology even enables transmission speeds up to 7 Mbps within a diameter of 50km.
Compared to the current broadband or wireless services, this is a “dream” for Internet users.
Equipment serving Mobile Wimax service is still expensive now since the service is in the period of testing. However, providers hope that when this service becomes popular, the production cost of this equipment will fall to $100 to $200/equipment.
Though the charges for this service are not fixed, the provider said that the charges would not be higher than those for normal Internet services.
“I think it is not expensive if 10-15 families share equipment at that price. When this service is popular, the service provider may help subscribers to purchase necessary equipment or even give it free,” Dao said.
Three world leading telecom equipment producers – Motorola, Nokia and Samsung – have cooperated to develop Wimax network for the American provider Sprint Nextel. Intel, Nokia and Siemens have also joined hands in integrating Wimax. This shows that leading producers have focused on manufacturing Wimax-related equipment, bringing more choices for users.
Initial success
The first phase of the Wimax testing project was completed in Lao Cai city and the second phase is taking place at Ta Van hamlet, also in Lao Cai.
The first phase is considered to have been a success. It commenced on October 27, 2006 in Lao Cai city in 19 sites: 6 schools, 3 public sites, 2 health stations, 5 administrative agencies, 2 small enterprises and 1 farmer family. Those sites were provided with computers and VoIP telephones. Internet access at these points was free of charge for all.
For the first time in his life, farmer Vuong Trung Thin in Lao Cai used Internet and low-cost VoIP telephone services. Thin said that the Internet connection is very good while call quality is wonderful.
In the second phase, the Wimax technology is being carried out in a valley called Ta Van, which is 9km from Sa Pa town, Lao Cai.
Around 700 people who are mainly H’mong and Day ethnic minority people are living in this valley, with the average income of around US$50 per month, mainly coming from tourist services.
It is very difficult to install optical cables leading to Ta Van valley owing to its isolated topography. The valley currently has only two fixed phone lines.
To help local residents and tourists, organisers have decided to carry out the second phase of Wimax testing project in this valley. Accordingly, ten sites in the valley, including a school, a health station, a guest house and some families will be connected to the Internet, using Wimax technology.
Based on the test results in Lao Cai, Dao said that Wimax could become popular in Vietnam in 2008.
The government has allowed four firms to provide Wimax service, VNPT, FPT, Viettel and VTC.
Tien Phong
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