VietNamNet Bridge – 3G service users were dazzled because of the 40 percent service fee increase in November when mobile network operators followed up with one more “blow” on them by blocking free OTT (over the top) services.

A lot of users complained that they meet so many troubles when using OTT these days. It is very difficult to connect with friends, messages go very slowly or cannot be delivered. The users’ community believes that mobile network operators have “done something,” like narrowing the bandwidth to block the services.

Mobile network operators have fallen under suspicion because they are the biggest sufferers from the development of OTT services.

Before raising the 3G service fee by 40 percent in November, they many times complained that they lost trillions of dong because of OTT, the service that allows people to make calls and send messages free of charge. The 3G service fee increase, therefore, is considered as a solution to offset the losses.

Mobile network operators have denied the behavior of blocking services. However, it is predictable what is happening if noting the expectation that clients need to register specific service packages to be able to use OTT.

The sharp increase of the 3G service fee by 40 percent and the suspected behavior of narrowing bandwidth to block free services have been described as the strong blows on users in the context of the economic downturn.

A question has been raised that why 3G subscribers still have to pay additional money to use OTT if they have to pay high for 3G service packages already? In principle, once users pay for 3G services, they have the right to use all the free services on Internet.

The information that mobile network operators have been trying every possible means to prevent people from using OTT services has made the Internet community “seething”.

The majority of clients reportedly use 3G service to read online newspapers, surf on Internet, Facebook, and make calls and messages free of charge with OTT. Therefore, the attempt to prevent people from using OTT apps has faced the strong opposition from the public.

The situation has got worse when the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) has “thrown oil into the fire,” by saying that even after the 40 percent 3G service fee increase, the fee in Vietnam is just equal to 60 percent of that in other regional countries.

“It is unreasonable to compare the 3G service fee in Vietnam with the world. No one wants to pay VND70,000 a month for such a low quality service. The price is not commensurate with the quality,” said Hoang Nga, a user in Hanoi.

NP Thai in Go Vap district in HCM City complained on Nguoi lao dong that the service quality has decreased dramatically.

“I am using the 600 MB package which has the fee of VND70,000 a month. The download speed is just 32 Kbps when the capacity is used up,” he said. “With the speed, you cannot do anything,” he said.

Nga believes that it is the mobile network operators, which have blocked Viber, Tango and Zalo, because they see the turnover decreasing sharply because of the rise of OTT apps.

“It is unfair for millions of mobile phone users in Vietnam who cannot use OTT apps like in other countries in the world,” Nga said.