On September 13, the Ministry of Information and Communications issued Circular No. 10 suspending the implementation of some contents of Circulars 03 and 04 - related to the planning of frequency bands used in 2G networks in Vietnam.

It is known that Circulars 03 and 04 were issued in May, which stipulate that from September 16, 2024, the GSM (2G) mobile information system will stop operating, except for providing services in the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos and DK platforms.

According to Circular No. 10, the implementation of the above provision will be moved to October 15. After that, users must upgrade their devices from 3G or higher to continue using.

According to the Deputy Director of the Telecommunications Department, the suspension of 2G technology is divided into two phases: the first phase is from 10/15 to stop providing services to 2G subscribers. The second phase from 9/2026 will officially stop providing 2G network to reserve resources for 4G and 5G networks.

According to network representatives, 2G subscribers who have not changed after October 15 will have their devices blocked but their subscription accounts will still be retained.

As of now, network operators still have about 400,000 active 2G Only subscribers (accounting for less than 1% of total subscribers). Thus, the conversion of subscribers from 2G to 4G has been more successful than initially expected.

Recently, network operators have supported the cost of 4G Only phones combined with conversion packages, and supported up to 100% of the cost of 4G phones. Network operators have prepared a number of 4G phones to support compensation (100% funding support) for their 2G Only subscribers. Some mobile businesses have a policy of supporting giving away phones without registering for a package for poor households, near-poor households, subscribers in remote, isolated, and disadvantaged areas to convert to 4G phones.

Network operators deploy information to users through mass media; call, send SMS messages to notify and instruct customers to change devices.

In addition, the network operator also conducts communication through the grassroots communication system (commune and ward loudspeakers) to provide information to each customer; mobilizes staff to contact 2G customers at each subscriber's home.

In addition, network operators have implemented a program to give away 4G phones to people to speed up the process of turning off 2G waves.

According to Mr. Nguyen Phong Nha, after October 15, according to regulations, all 2G Only subscribers will have their two-way service stopped.

"After October 15, the responsibility of the business is to maintain the phone number, package, and policy with the old subscribers. Users can continue to go to service providers or through the phone number to receive full instructions for the conversion. For subscribers whose service is discontinued after October 15, the network operators need to continue to have a customer care policy to convert these subscribers to 4G terminals, ensuring consumer rights" - Mr. Nguyen Phong Nha said.