Vietnam internet subscriptions double, but usage low
HANOI - Vietnam's Internet population has doubled over the past year, but penetration is not even close to reaching 1 percent yet.
According to figures released recently by Vietnam's Department General of Posts and Telecommunications, there are around
85,000 Internet service provider subscribers in Vietnam. This is a boost on last October's figures of around 40,000.
But Vietnam has a population of 77 million. Perhaps the low Internet penetration is not surprising as the national telephone
service only recently reached its 3 million fixed line subscribers mark.
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 Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications
Corp. (VNPT). But the new Domestic VNN Dial-Up service will limit subscribers to Vietnamese Web sites only.
By Adam Creed - Newsbytes - October 13, 2000.
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