Vietnam to halve Internet connection charges
HANOI - State telephone company, the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT), said last week it would halve the
direct access charge for Internet service providers (ISPs) connecting to its national backbone network.
The rate reduction will take place on January 1, 2001, and is likely to reduce Internet access charges for businesses and
encourage Internet usage.
However, Internet penetration remains low in Vietnam. Latest figures put the number of subscriptions at 100,000 in December.
This is in a country with a population of 77 million.
But the Internet population is growing at a faster rate - in October Vietnam had only 85,000 Internet service provider
subscribers. Last October's figures showed users of only around 40,000.
VNPT's Internet unit, Vietnam Data Communications Co., predicts Internet usage will reach 250,000 next year and 450,000
by 2002.
Vietnam didn't even have Internet connectivity before 1997, and since then Internet use has been mainly from business
customers, employees of foreign companies, government and so on.
Internet users have had to register with the Government to obtain Internet access. But in September, the state loosened
requirements for citizens to register for an Internet access account through state-run VNPT. But the new Domestic VNN
Dial-Up service will limit subscribers to Vietnamese Web sites only.
By Adam Creed - Newsbytes - December 28, 2000.
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