A customer gets a portrait photo taken at a Vinaphone store. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Some 34 million users out of 38 million pre-paid mobile phone numbers nationwide have not yet provided their personal information, including portrait photo. The information was revealed by Việt Nam Telecommunications Authority until mid-March. Decree 49, issued last year, stipulates that by April 24, 2018, all mobile subscriptions activated before April 24, 2017, have to be registered with accurate information of owners, including name, identification/passport number and a profile picture. If they fail to register, the providers will block incoming calls after 15 days and stop providing services in the next 15 days. The number of customers who need to complete the process is very high, especially those who activated their numbers before Decree 49 took effect, the authority said. As the deadline of updating the personal portrait photo is coming to a close, … [Read more...] about Mobile phone users yet to complete registration process
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Mobile phone subscribers rush to update personal information
Mobile phone subscribers at a service station in Hà Nội’s Xã Đàn Street.— VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Thousands of mobile phone subscribers are rushing to service providers across the country to update their personal information. Under the government’s Decree No. 49/NĐ-CP, issued on April 22, 2017, mobile connection can be blocked by service providers if customers fail to update their personal details before April 24. Under the decree, all mobile phone subscriptions activated before April 24, 2017, have to be registered with accurate information of owners, including name, identification/passport number and a profile picture. If they fail to register, the service provider will block incoming calls after 15 days and stop providing services in the next 15 days. The nearing of the deadline has caused a huge rush of customers to service providers overloading them, prompting the two giant telecommunications MobiFone and VinaPhone to … [Read more...] about Mobile phone subscribers rush to update personal information
Mobile users no longer need to register profile pics: MoIC
Mobile users wait to take photos at a Vinaphone service store in Hà Nội in April 2018. — Photo vietnamnet.vn Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) has suggested lifting a controversial requirement for mobile phone users to register their photos in a stunning policy turnaround just six months after the regulation was put into force. The MoIC, under the leadership of new acting minister Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, released a draft decree to terminate the regulation which required all mobile phone users to register a portrait photo to their service providers by April 24, 2018. The idea was meant to help the Government manage mobile users, said the MoIC at the time, despite mounting criticism of personal invasion and concerns of personal information leaks. However, there seems to have been a u-turn. It said in the draft decree that in order to guarantee the personal information provided by users, there should be an information cross-check … [Read more...] about Mobile users no longer need to register profile pics: MoIC
Driving, speaking on phones a deadly combination on the street
Driving, speaking on phones.—VNS Photo Gia Lộc Viet Nam News Gia Lộc HCM CITY — On May 31 there was a deadly accident in Hà Nội’s Bắc Từ Liêm. It happened because a truck driver was talking on his phone while driving and ran into a motorbike killing a pregnant woman and her four-year-old child on the spot. Speaking or texting while driving or riding motorbikes is a common sight in Việt Nam. While official figures are not available on the direct links between this behaviour and accidents, Uông Việt Dũng, deputy chief of the National Traffic Safety Committee’s secretariat, said such drivers are many times more likely to cause an accident as people not using phones. Nguyễn Ngọc Tường, deputy chief of the HCM City Traffic Safety Committee, speaking at the launch of the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation’s ’Leave Your Phone Alone, or You Could Be Next’ campaign, said, “90 per cent of traffic accidents are caused of drivers’ low awareness.” Low … [Read more...] about Driving, speaking on phones a deadly combination on the street
Vietnam Airlines incorporates airport maps into its mobile app
Vietnam Airlines incorporates airport maps into its mobile app By Le Anh Passengers at the Noi Bai International Airport in the capital city of Hanoi. Vietnam Airlines has added 67 domestic and foreign airport maps to its mobile app to help passengers use its services at ease - PHOTO: LE ANH HCMC – National flagship carrier Vietnam Airlines has added 67 airport maps, with nine of them in the country and the remainder abroad, to its mobile app, to help passengers breeze past gates, lounges and shops, as it continues investing in technology to enhance the airport experience. By incorporating the indoor maps app, InMapz, into the Vietnam Airlines mobile app, the carrier is the first Asia-based airline to offer digital wayfinding airport maps and has more maps than any other airline in the world. The airport maps will be available on the free Vietnam Airlines app and Vietnam Airlines website. Customers are provided with a clear and detailed view of their surroundings … [Read more...] about Vietnam Airlines incorporates airport maps into its mobile app
HCMC proposes excise tax on mobile phones
HCMC proposes excise tax on mobile phones By Thanh Thom An individual checks the Facebook app on her mobile phone. The HCMC government has suggested slapping excise tax on mobile phones – PHOTO: THANH THOM HCMC – The HCMC People’s Committee has suggested the Ministry of Finance levy a special consumption tax on mobile phones and some other products and services that only high income earners can afford. The city government said in its proposal that the value-added tax (VAT), the special consumption tax and the environmental protection tax, among others, are areas with potential for further tapping. Products such as mobile phones, cameras, perfumes and cosmetics, as well as gaming business services and beauty services, should be subject to the special consumption tax. According to the city government, perfumes and beauty services fall within the category of high-end goods and services. This helps widen the adjustment of income taxes among high earners. The … [Read more...] about HCMC proposes excise tax on mobile phones
Mobile Money to boost noncash payments in Vietnam: minister
Mobile Money to boost noncash payments in Vietnam: minister The Saigon Times Daily A person uses ViettelPay app to make online payments. Mobile Money once launched in Vietnam will boost the growth of non-cash transactions - PHOTO: VNA HCMC – Mobile Money, once being put into pilot service in Vietnam, will be an effective solution for promoting noncash payments, stated Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung. The Mobile Money service allows users to transfer and receive money as well as make payments through mobile accounts. It uses a network of transaction points such as customer service agents and ATMs. The service must also be available to people with no bank accounts. Many topics such as ecommerce, startups and innovation have been discussed at meetings, but an effective payment method, which is the most important tool for encouraging the growth of these areas in the digital age, has yet to be mentioned, Minister Hung told an international … [Read more...] about Mobile Money to boost noncash payments in Vietnam: minister
Vietnamobile launches new mobile voice services
Vietnamobile launches new mobile voice services By Van Ly Two people are seen using their mobile phones. Vietnamobile has launched new mobile voice services and a preferential data package to woo customers – PHOTO: THANH HOA HANOI - Mobile carrier Vietnamobile on July 2 launched two mobile voice services and other affordable data packages to attract users, after three months under the management of its new general director. Vietnamobile collaborated with Samsung to offer the two voice services, VoLTE and VoWIFI. VoLTE allows Vietnamobile subscribers to make phone calls on 4G networks with high sound quality. Meanwhile, the VoWIFI service enables two Vietnamobile subscribers to call each other when one phone uses the carrier’s network and the other is connected to any carrier’s WiFi. Speaking at a press briefing on July 2, Christina Hui, general director of Vietnamobile, said that Vietnamobile now holds a market share of a mere 3% on the local mobile service and … [Read more...] about Vietnamobile launches new mobile voice services
Bkav to launch low-cost cell phones
Bkav to launch low-cost cell phones By Van Ly The Bkav Smart Feature Phone 4G-C85 model. Local Internet security firm Bkav on June 10 announced its plan to manufacture low-cost phones – PHOTO: BKAV HANOI – Local Internet security firm Bkav on June 10 announced its plan to manufacture low-cost mobile phones priced at less than VND1 million. The production of the Bkav Smart Feature Phone 4G-C85 is aimed at supplying the local market with cell phones with 4G Internet connections at affordable prices. The economical cell phones are set to be rolled out in July. Unlike Bphone, which is a smartphone Bkav had earlier launched in the market and was designed in terms of style and software by the firm, the Bkav Smart Feature Phone 4G will be produced in the form of original design manufacturing. The new cell phones will run on the KaiOS operating system. To offer the Bkav Smart Feature Phone 4G at less than VND1 million, Bkav will join hands with a major telecom carrier to … [Read more...] about Bkav to launch low-cost cell phones
No photo, no phone: Customers may lose service
By April 24, 2018, all mobile subscriptions activated before April 24, 2017 must be registered with accurate information about the owners including name, identification number and a profile picture. Otherwise, telecommunication service providers will block incoming calls after 15 days and stop providing services in the next 15 days.— VNS Photo Đoàn Tùng Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI –Mobile subscribers may have their SIM cards deactivated if they fail to submit profile photos following a new regulation. Decree 49, issued last year, stipulates that by April 24, 2018, all mobile subscriptions activated before April 24, 2017 have to be registered with accurate information of owners including name, identification number and a profile picture. If they fail to register, the providers will block incoming calls after 15 days and stop providing services in the next 15 days. Viettel said that their only strategy for encouraging customers to comply with the regulation was providing sufficient … [Read more...] about No photo, no phone: Customers may lose service