Companies receive fines for spam messages

The Ministry of Information and Communications has fined 35 companies a total of VND1.4-1.5 billion (US$66,000-71,000) for sending spam messages, according to a ministry spokesperson.

The ministry was complying with laws relating to spam, but said it was difficult to control the situation because more than 200 companies were providing messaging services in Viet Nam.

AVG Television comes on air after trial run

A new pay television network invested by Audio Visual Global was officially put into operation yesterday after one year of test-airing.

AVG network supplies TV programmes using digital terrestrial television and direct-to-home technologies. Apart from VTV and international channels, AVG will broadcast other channels such as the Vietnam News Agency's VNews.

AVG is also co-operating with other television stations in programme production.

The monthly fee for the service has been set at VND60,000 to VND150,000 (US$2.8-7).

Domestic contractors take to online bidding

Around 800 domestic contractors have joined in bidding activities through an e-bidding system at http:/muasamcong.mpi.gov.vn, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The project, with total capital of nearly US$3.4 million, is sponsored by the South Korea International Co-operation Agency. Since September last year, the e-bidding system has been on trial at the Ha Noi People's Committee, the Viet Nam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) and Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN).

After a six-month trial, 20 e-bids had been successfully completed, the ministry said.

Metfone scoops global communication award

Metfone, a Cambodia-based affiliate of the Vietnamese telecom group Viettel, won the "Best operator in a developing market" award at the World Communication Awards 2011 ceremony held in London earlier this week.

The award aims to honour operators who possess innovative and unique solutions and overcome the difficulties of a developing market to bring value to the society, community, customers and their own businesses.

Officially launched in 2009, Metfone is now the largest telecom service provider in Cambodia, accounting for 48 per cent of the market share with over 7 million subscribers.

Vien Thong A joins arms with Japanese TD

Vietnamese electronics supplier Vien Thong A has signed a co-operation agreement with TD Mobile, a leading Japanese retailer.

Thanks to the co-operation, the company will supply domestic customers with more modern services from Japan along with improved service quality.

PC World and FPT Online set to co-operate

PC World and FPT Online have inked a strategic co-operation agreement to develop their products and services as well as to promote their strengths.

Through the agreement, PC World will have the chance to promote their traditional business in publications and advertising, while investing more in its two websites.

The agreement is part of FPT Online's development strategy to invest in new fields.

Symantec introduces new version of software

Symantec Corp has introduced its new version of software in storage management and high availability products to enable IT organisations to build resilient hybrid/private clouds by transforming their existing infrastructure.

The corporation expected the software would help IT firms in Viet Nam to apply further private clouds for their business because Symantec's recent survey found that 69 per cent of CFOs in Viet Nam were less than "somewhat open" to moving business-critical applications to hybrid/private cloud environments for the reasons stated they lacked monitoring/management tools, performance, reliability and security.

PV