Thai Khang, VietNamNet: Could you, the deputy head of the Authority of Telecommunications (AOT), Nguyen Phong Nha, please tell us about the preparation for 2G cessation from the angle of the state management agency?

Nguyen Phong Nha, AOT:  We believe the most important thing when approaching a new issue is information. Once information is sufficient, and the significance of the shifting process is clarified, we will have consensus from the public. 2G phone users in remote areas and those who have used 2G phones for a long time remain reluctant to shift to smartphones.

If users remain hesitant, this means that communications are not good enough. Businesses need to be cooperative and together build policies on stopping 2G on September 15 and after that day, subscribers using 2G technology will no longer be provided services.

Users have opportunities to use 4G phones with keyboard with higher voice quality, because voice service on 4G is better than 2G. Users can maintain all commonly used services, with no change in the future.

Regarding concerns about coverage quality, all mobile network operators have the responsibility of providing similar or even better coverage. 

For 2G users who now shift to 4G smartphones, this is the chance to try new services. Users can use the state’s public administration services with apps on their smartphones instead of having to access websites. 

Stopping 2G is a great chance for users to become familiar with services in the digital environment. The users in large cities and towns can easily obtain adequate information and are ready to shift to smartphones. Meanwhile, users in remote areas, older people and children need more information about the process.

As far as I know, telecom carriers have very good communications solutions. Viettel, for example, provides personalized communications to users in remote areas. MobiFone uses a ringtone (when subscribers make/receive calls, they hear notices about the cesassion of 2G and solutions to help them shift to 4G). VinaPhone gives support to users with smartphones.

In addition to communications campaigns, it is necessary to help users with terminal devices. For people in remote areas, paying hundreds of thousands of dong more to buy a new phone is a big problem.

MIC has worked with local people’s authorities and suggested using capital and legal support in the localities to support poor households. In general, we need to give support under different forms to ensure benefits for users.

I hope that telcos will increase their number of communications channels, telephone numbers and telephone operators to provide enough information to users.

We would like to provide information to you about 2G cessation around the world. As many as 77 countries have plans to stop 2G and 3G, mostly from 2028, and only two of them plan to stop 2G and 3G from 2030. 

The figures show that our decision to stop 2G in 2024 and turn off the network completely by 2026, and then stop 3G by 2028, is reasonable.

In Vietnam, communications campaigns about 2G/3G cessation began many years ago. But to date, 11 million 2G subscribers still exist, though the number has dropped rapidly recently.

Regarding SIM replacement, telcos are doing this very well. Some networks have completed the conversion.

As for networks, MIC is arranging resources for network operators by granting licenses to use 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz wavebands, slated for September. However, if telcos still have 2G subscribers on their networks and don’t have detailed plans to stop 2G subscribers, they won’t be granted licenses.

Thai Khang, VietNamNet:  We have some questions from readers. They want to be informed about how state agencies will ensure essential calls once 2G stops. The second issue is skills. Has MIC thought of training people with necessary skills when shifting from 2G to 4G/5G?

Nguyen Phong Nha, AOT:  The program on providing telecom services for public interest by 2025 consists of support of 400,000 smartphones to poor and nearly-poor households. The draft decree on telecom services for public interest has been put on the government’s table.

As I said before, our 2G cessation process will be implemented in two phases. From September 2024, services won’t be provided to 2G Only subscribers, but the 2G network will still exist until September 2026 as it is still needed to perform some duties.

to be continued...

VietNamNet