Due to the 2G wave cutting policy in Vietnam, nearly 600,000 subscribers are still using 2G-only devices, while this network will stop providing services in Vietnam in four days.
Information about the number of 2G subscribers and measures to convert and support service maintenance were mentioned at the discussion on 2G wave cutting of the Department of Telecommunications – Ministry of Information and Communications on the afternoon of October 11 in Hanoi.
According to statistics from network operators as of the end of October 10, Vietnam still has nearly 600,000 subscribers using devices that only support 2G networks (2G Only), of which Viettel Telecom is 360,000, Vinaphone 150,000, MobiFone under 50,000 and Vietnam Mobile about 10,000.
According to Mr. Nguyen Phong Nha, Deputy Director of the Telecommunications Department, although there are still subscribers who have not converted, this is a “huge effort” by the network operators when it has reduced from 18 million 2G subscribers at the beginning of the year. According to the previous plan, the Department set a target that when the 2G signal is turned off, the number of subscribers will be below 5%, while it is currently below 1%.
Representatives of the network operators also said that they are continuing to support the conversion both before and after the service termination date of October 15, in which the two networks with the most subscribers set a target of below 100,000 in the next four days.
According to Mr. Nha, the 2G service termination will still proceed as planned. Those subscribers who have not converted will have their two-way service terminated. However, the Department representative also requested that the network operators continue to have customer care policies and support to ensure their rights, and at the same time have measures to collect and treat electronic waste.
According to the network operator’s policy, if a customer does not use the service for two months, their account will be locked and their number will be withdrawn. At the workshop, representatives of the network operators also proposed a special mechanism for these subscribers, including extending the service maintenance period while waiting for the conversion.
“Subscribers will have their accounts reserved after October 15. Vinaphone will continue to maintain the policy of supporting phones, supporting customers and giving away data to experience 4G,” said Mr. Do Manh Dung, acting Director of VinaPhone’s Personal Customer Department.
In recent times, the network operators have also implemented a series of drastic measures, including giving away phones, meeting subscribers directly to support phone changes, sending messages, and sending notifications before calls. However, the remaining subscribers are mostly in remote, difficult-to-reach areas, including subscribers who are not active regularly.
“The recent subscribers who have switched are mostly those who have to come directly to support, the number of people who proactively go to stores is very rare,” said Mr. Nguyen Trong Tinh, Deputy General Director of Viettel Telecom.
The original plan to stop providing 2G services was set for September 15, but was delayed by a month due to the impact of Typhoon Yagi, which made it difficult for network operators to reach customers, especially in the northern mountainous region. The 2G network will only be maintained until September 2026 to serve islands, platforms, and subscribers using devices that do not support VoLTE, before being completely turned off.
According to a representative of the Telecommunications Department, stopping providing 2G services will encourage users to use the 4G network, accessing digital services such as electronic payments and online public services. At the same time, this will also help reduce the load on network operators, thereby preparing infrastructure and human resources for new generation network technologies.
