Vietnam Offers Domestic-Only Internet Access
HANOI - The Vietnamese Government, through state-run Vietnam
Posts and Telecommunications Corp. (VNPT), has
loosened requirements for citizens to register for an
Internet access account ... but will limit subscribers of the new service to
Vietnamese Web sites only.
The trial Internet access service, called Domestic VNN Dial-Up, will run
until November 30. Subscribers will have access only to the nascent local
information highway, and not to the global Internet.
VNPT will provide limited Web access accordingly, data transmission
within Vietnam and remote dial-up. Users will not receive an e-mail
address with their account.
Subscribers need not register with the Government to sign up, which is the
case for service providing access to international sites. Vietnam remains
concerned about unrestricted Internet access and the effects of foreign
media sites if Internet usage becomes widespread, especially with the
limited amount of locally-produced content.
The service is provided in sync with VNPT's telephone service, with online
charges set at 100 dong (US$0.01) per minute.
Vietnam is billing the new service as for popular use, with its affordability a
potential boost for Internet adoption. According to VNPT, Vietnam
currently has more than 80,000 Internet subscribers.
The national carrier provides basic telephone services to over 3 million
fixed line subscribers, while Vietnam had a population of over 77 million in
1998.
By Adam Creed - Newsbytes - September 26, 2000.
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