Vietnam attends roundtable on cutting Internet access cost
A ministerial-level roundtable discussion themed “Cutting the cost: Can affordable access accelerate digital transformation?” was held on October 12, within the framework of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s Digital World 2021.
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam noted that digital transformation has become an indispensable trend of every country. Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process in the world.
He suggested countries pay more attention to affordable access and developing digital platforms which could be considered infrastructure of the digital world.
According to him, it is necessary to digitalise socio-economic activities and bring them to digital platforms.
Participants at the event also shared experience in digital transformation, resources to develop information and communications technology, and ways to develop digital transformation effectively.
At the ministerial-level roundtable on the same theme on October 12, Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said in order to promote Internet access, Vietnam will shut down 2G network by 2023. The Government and telecom providers will fund the use of 4G network for 2G mobile phone users, meaning that all of phone users will be ready for Internet access by 2023.
Ministers discussed ways to deal with barriers regarding residents’ affordability for telecom services, policies and measures to minimise costs.
