VietNamNet Bridge – Impressing Vietnamese users when its services were introduced in Vietnam, with yellow-black logo, and made them shocked by the Big Zero service, but Beeline will withdraw from Vietnam in the next six months. Let’s review this brand’s memorable landmarks in the Vietnamese mobile market.

1. In late July of 2009, GTEL Mobile, a joint venture between GTEL and VimpelCom, announced the launch of the Beeline, the seventh cellular telecommunications network in Vietnam.


At that time, the first telecommunications network with foreign capital in Vietnam was well-known for its big promotional campaigns intended to attract customers. Its Big Zero service allowed customers to make inside-network phone calls for nearly free. Its advertising on television was also a phenomenon.

2. In October 2009, the network had its first one million subscribers. During the lunar New Year 2010, Beeline launched a new funny advertising clip but it did not highly impress customers like the Big Zero clip.



3. In early 2010, Beeline released its second product – Big&Kool, with huge preferences for users. Big networks worried that their market shares might fall because of Beeline’s services. However, this service was not a success.



4. In April 2011, Vimpelcom committed to invest an additional $500 million into Beeline from 2011 to 2013. Vimpelcom poured $196 million to raise its ownership of Gtel Mobile from 40 to 49 percent. The remaining sum will be pumped into Beeline if this network achieves certain goals and the investment is approved by Vietnamese relevant agencies.



5. In August 2011, Beeline reached a three-year agreement with Manchester United. Accordingly, Beeline is allowed to use the image of this football club in its advertising campaign in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Its subscribers in these countries can watch clips, backstage information and interview MU’s players. After that, Beeline organized many promotional campaigns that were connected with MU.



6. After that, Beeline made a shock when it launched the "Billionaire" package, in which the company placed VND1 billion ($50,000) into the accounts of its customers for intra-network calls in ten years. Its small-sized cell phones also made a “fever” on the market. At that time, this firm sold thousands of mini cell phones plus simcards each day.



However, one month later, this package was banned by the Ministry of Information and Communications for dumping. After that, Beeline launched the Billionaire package 2 in late December 2011 to replace the package 1. Accordingly, subscribers who made phone calls or sent text worth VND1,350 would have VND270,000 ($13) in their accounts.

7. On April 23, 2012, VimpelCom Ltd signed an agreement to sell all of its 49 percent stakes in Gtel mobile and give up operational control of Gtel mobile. The stake will be sold to Gtel Transmit and Infrastructure Service One Member Co Ltd, a related party of the company’s Vietnamese local partner, Global Telecommunications Corp (GTEL).



Under the agreement, Gtel will pay a cash consideration of US$45 million upon satisfaction of the conditions of the deal. Upon completion of the sale, VimpelCom will have no further obligations or liabilities to Global Telecommunications Corp or Gtel Mobile. Gtel Mobile Joint Stock Co will not continue using the Beeline brand after six months from the date of transfer.

PV