It is expected that from September 16, all domestic network operators will stop serving subscribers using 2G technology phones (2G Only). Currently, according to a survey, about 11 million active 2G Only subscribers (accounting for about 9% of the total number of mobile subscribers nationwide) will certainly be affected, mainly subscribers from poor and near-poor households in remote, isolated, border and island areas.
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To reduce the impact of the 2G shutdown on people, the Ministry of Information and Communications and telecommunications businesses are implementing many solutions to protect users' rights such as communicating to each subscriber or supporting new terminal devices for the disadvantaged, the elderly, low-income people, etc. Ensuring the shutdown of 2G waves from September 16. 2G technology is 30 years old, and 3G is nearly 20 years old, outdated. With the trend in the world as well as the reality of telecommunications service deployment in Vietnam, the Ministry of Information and Communications has planned to stop both 2G and 3G technologies. Deputy Director of the Department of Telecommunications (Ministry of Information and Communications) Nguyen Phong Nha said: Stopping 2G technology will be in two phases: Phase 1 in September 2024 will stop serving 2G Only subscribers; Phase 2 in September 2026 will completely stop the 2G system. The complete shutdown of 3G technology will be implemented in September 2028. In fact, turning off 2G waves is a major policy of the Ministry of Information and Communications that has been oriented since 2019. Responding to this policy, network operators have been implementing many specific measures to "push" 2G subscribers to 4G before the deadline of September 16.
Currently, Vinaphone's system still has about 1.5 million 2G subscribers. To prepare for the conversion, the company has proactively increased 4G coverage to replace 2G coverage, and has purchased low-cost smartphone terminals and 4G feature phones (basic phones that do not support operating systems) to support the conversion for people. Le Dac Kien, Deputy General Director of VNPT VinaPhone“VinaPhone has also assigned staff in each locality to support the people's transition process, advising customers to prepare mentally and financially for upgrading terminal equipment. The network will support customers with cheap equipment and preferential packages, but it is difficult to take care of everyone. Therefore, we hope that the Ministry of Information and Communications will have more support from the Public Telecommunications Fund so that no customer is left behind,” Mr. Kien emphasized. As the network with the largest number of 2G subscribers today, Viettel Telecom Deputy General Director Nguyen Trong Tinh said: Viettel is focusing on 4G coverage to completely replace the old 2G coverage from September 16 to ensure network quality.
Regarding the roadmap, since last March, Viettel has stopped providing services to customers using 2G Only devices that are not up to standard or regulations; since the end of May, it has stopped providing services to old 2G subscribers who do not access the network for a month; and since July, it has stopped providing services to new 2G subscribers accessing the network. These policies have helped Viettel's 2G subscribers to only be about one-fifth of what they were before.
However, there are still about 5-6 million Viettel subscribers who need to be converted, and many of them are in difficult circumstances, poor households, and cannot afford to pay for new terminals. Although Viettel has introduced many strong support policies such as reducing device prices by 30-50%; communicating widely through community digital technology groups, prestigious people in the community; organizing mobile sales to the commune level..., however, through contact, many people have grasped the information, but still do not support the conversion.The rate of 2G users of this network is currently decreasing very quickly, only about less than 5% of total subscribers. Since March 1, MobiFone has also not allowed non-compliant 2G devices to connect to the network, and has actively given recommendations on switching devices to users. Bui Son Nam, Deputy General Director of MobiFoneMobiFone has deployed many solutions such as coordinating with retail chains to support customers to switch to smartphones, 4G feature phones as well as support packages. Currently, 100% of MobiFone users have switched to using 4G SIMs, only needing a terminal device that supports 3G, 4G to be able to use it immediately, without having to change SIMs. Focusing on supporting people According to experts, the main difficulty for people when switching from 2G to 4G is the cost of buying new phones. Therefore, the process of turning off 2G waves, in addition to the responsibility of network operators, also has a very important role from phone retail systems. Director of Business Development of Mobile World Truong Hong Hoang said: To prepare for the shutdown of 2G waves, the company has proactively built a roadmap, starting with contacting companies to add cheap 4G feature phone models from 390,000 VND - 1.5 million VND; coordinating with major carriers such as Viettel, MobiFone, VinaPhone to implement incentive programs for people to upgrade devices such as free SIM replacement, giving away more data. For customers who want to switch to using smartphones, usually using phones priced at 1.9-5 million VND, Mobile World will support free SIM or data, along with an installment payment policy, even without having to pay in advance.
The company has launched a promotion program of up to one million VND for customers upgrading from 2G to 4G phones; at the same time, it has coordinated with MobiFone to support people to change their phones through installment payments and give away 4G SIMs. In the coming time, Mobile Vietnam will continue to accompany retailers and manufacturers to best meet people's needs. Hoang Ngoc Minh, Sales Director of Mobile Vietnam systemIn fact, the number of 2G subscribers will gradually decrease from now until September, however, the supply capacity of the terminal market may not be able to meet the needs of millions of subscribers who need to switch at the same time, especially with cheap phones under three million VND. According to Mr. Truong Hong Hoang, the current sales of 4G feature phones still account for 10-15% of the total of more than 500,000 The Gioi Di Dong phones sold each month, equivalent to about 70,000 units. This shows that the trend of using 4G push-button phones is still very large. Meanwhile, currently in the country, only a few companies such as Nokia, Masstel, iTell and Mobell still produce 4G feature phones; companies such as Oppo and Xiaomi have all switched to smartphones. Except for Nokia, the remaining suppliers will find it difficult to meet the large number of 4G feature phones in a short time. As for Mobile World, the monthly system only provides about 70,000 4G feature phones. If a larger quantity is required in a short period of time, retailers cannot meet the demand. Therefore, a specific roadmap is needed to ensure the transition process of the people. Deputy Director Nguyen Phong Nha emphasized: When people are still afraid of switching to 4G, it means that communication is still inadequate, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people living in remote areas, border areas, islands, etc., who have little opportunity to access information smoothly. Therefore, the communication work of network operators, state management agencies, and units under the Ministry of Information and Communications needs to be strengthened. Mr. Nha suggested that from now until September, network operators continue to carry out stronger communication work in a simple, easy-to-understand form, focusing on increasing the number of communication channels to support, share, exchange, and guide users. In addition, network operators need to deploy 4G network infrastructure to ensure coverage to replace 2G radio transceiver stations that have been turned off in all areas where the signal is turned off; maintain all regular services without any changes; focus on developing infrastructure in remote, border, and island areas, ensuring that by 2025, 100% of villages with signal depressions and those with national grid electricity will be covered by 4G mobile broadband.
Switching to 4G or smartphones will create conditions for people to have new experiences such as using online public administrative services. This is an opportunity for people to access digital services, thereby gradually forming a digital society. However, for people who are still in difficulty, changing phones for even a few hundred thousand dong is a big problem.
Network operators have solutions, but they still cannot support 100% of devices for users. Therefore, for those in difficult circumstances and poor households, the Ministry of Information and Communications has worked with localities, proposing to use capital and legal funding sources in the area to coordinate with network operators to support people.Nhandan.vn
Source: https://nhandan.vn/bao-ve-quyen-loi-nguoi-dung-khi-tat-song-2g-post823238.html
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