The Ministry of Information and Communications has assigned four telecom companies, the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Viettel, EVN Telecom and SPT, to implement the programme.

According to Deputy Minster of Information and Communications Tran Duc Lai, fixed phone networks will be installed in 254 communes that don’t have phone services this year.

In addition, about 30 percent of the total 2,000 communes without public Internet service points will receive the facility this year. Another 600 public Internet service points using dial-up mode will be upgraded to broadband.

The Public Telecom Fund will also offer free two-way communication services for fishing boats and rescue activities.

Since last year, contributions by telecom businesses to the Public Telecom Fund will be calculated according to the income of customer usage.

As for mobile services, the contribution will be 3 percent of total revenue. International telephone services and channel hiring services will contribute 2 percent of total revenue.