As internet steadily replaces traditional text messages and calls as well as smart phones are overwhelmingly popular in the market, mobile operators find it a must to come out with low-cost 3G and 4G packages.

From early May, mobile operators, including Viettel, MobiFone, and VinaPhone, announced to increase the data allowance in their 3G and 4G packages up to five-six times without changing the price.

Viettel kicked off the race in May by announcing increasing the data allowance from 3GB to 15GB per month for its monthly packages that cost VND70,000-200,000. In late June, VinaPhone also expanded its MAX package from 600MB to 3.8GB per month, more than six times the initial allowance. MobiFone on July 1 extended its packages’ data by six times.

This shows that mobile operators are willing to accept one-fifth or one-sixth data prices.

Daily package users were not neglected either as mobile operators offered diversified packages with large data. For instance, VinaPhone has offered the World Cup package at the price of VND9,000-20,000 ($0.39-0.88) with 4-5GB. MobiFone also entetered a co-operation with VTVGo to launch the daily package VG at VND3,000 ($0.13) and unlimited data.

In addition to the increased data allowances, subscribers also received big promotions when topping up. Several days ago, VinaPhone launched the promotion where customers receive 1-10GB of data when putting more than VND50,000 into their mobile accounts. MobiFone subscribers receive 2-20GB after topping up.

Vnexpress.net quoted Viettel’s representative as saying that this trend is inevitable, given the market demand and the widespread use of internet to conduct phone calls and send messages.

According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Viettel’s revenue from traditional calls and text messages in 2018’s first quarter was basically the same as a year ago and reached only 23.4 per cent of the annual plan.

In the coming time, the data race will not stop at prices or data allowances: speed and reliability will also be important, as modern subscribers need fast internet to meet their various demands, including playing games and using OTT services.

Additionally, entering into co-operations with game firms, video suppliers, and application developers may become a trend to diversify services.

Vnexpress.net quoted a leader of VinaPhone as saying: “Offering huge data but no services targeting customer demand will not improve revenue or promote spending.”

VIR