No matter how high the mountain is, there is a way to climb
From the first steps of groping to find the ways, now Bitel has established itself in both business and social responsibility. According to Bitel CEO Major Pham Anh Duc, the business journey in a foreign country was full of difficulties and challenges as the company had to face many barriers, from nature to culture, language, and fierce competition in the market.
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President Luong Cuong and Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang visits Viettel Peru in January 2024. |
Peru is one of the markets with fierce telecommunications competition. When Viettel started investment in 2011, the telecommunications market in Peru was almost saturated with a mobile density of up to 96%. The market already had many strong telecom companies, including the top 10 companies in the world, including Telefonica (Spain), Claro (Mexico), and local firms.
Major Pham Anh Duc said that in terms of telecom infrastructure investment, Peru's terrain was not favorable for a new telecom company to easily dominate, as this country is nearly four times larger than Vietnam (around 1.3 million square kilometers). However, its population is only about one-third of Vietnam's (32.5 million people). In order to extend telecom coverage to all parts of the country, from the Andes mountains to the desert and Amazon jungle or cities located at nearly 5,000 meters above sea level, Bitel had to overcome significant challenges. After 10 years, it has now become the largest network operator in Peru, covering the whole country with 37,000km of fiber optic cable (greater than the combined lengths of the second and third largest operators).
Through talks with leaders of Peru, President Luong Cuong was informed that Bitel’s digital infrastructure and services have contributed to Peru’s ranking among the countries with a high average level of e-government development. Speaking with Bitel’s staff, the President praised their creative approaches in this new and challenging market, including deploying fiber optic cables to the most remote areas instead of relying on microwave transmission like competitors, or skipping 2G technology and moving directly to more advanced technologies such as 3G, 4G, and 5G.
Culture of dedicated, fast, and effective service
Upon receiving information about an issue at Station Pas5012, Director of Bitel's Cusco and Apurimac branches Nguyen Xuan Thang promptly took a car and left overnight. After a 16-hour drive along dangerous roads (only wide enough for a single lane with mountains on one side and cliffs on the other), the technical team continued going through forests to reach the site. All of them were exhausted from hunger and fatigue. According to Mr. Thang, regardless of day or night, Bitel's team is always ready to embark on their mission. This is not just the spirit of Bitel but also of all Viettel staff worldwide.
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President Luong Cuong visits and works with Viettel Peru. |
Cusco and Apurimac provinces cover an area of nearly 100,000km² (almost one-third of Vietnam’s total area). With a dedicated, fast, and effective approach, Bitel’s subscriber base in Cusco has grown the most among the telecom operators in the area, always maintaining a double-digit growth rate.
Along with effective business operations, Bitel’s staff have always followed Viettel's philosophy "Business with social responsibility" - doing the best, most sincere, and kindest things for people in Peru. Bitel has not only contributed 230 million USD to the Peruvian Government’s budget and provided Internet to nearly 5,000 schools, but it has also taken the lead in smart city solutions in 6 states, including the capital of Lima and the hub of the culture of Cusco. The company has created jobs for nearly 3,000 formal employees and almost 23,000 indirect employees in Peru.
Recognizing Bitel’s remarkable achievements, the President encouraged its staff to continue to promote and preserve the good virtues of Uncle Ho’s Soldiers in the host country, while being aware that beyond business tasks, it serves as a bridge for cooperation between Vietnam and Peru. Each Bitel’s staff member is also seen as a cultural ambassador.
Journey of “harvesting fruits”
Viettel Peru, or Bitel, was established in 2011 and officially began operations in 2014 with 100% of its capital from Viettel.
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At the headquarters - the workplace of Viettel Peru’s staff |
Peru is a unique market, the most developed country among the 10 markets Viettel has invested in. After 10 years, Bitel has gradually risen to become a "giant" in the market. In 2011, Viettel won the bid for a telecommunications license in Peru thanks to its commitment to providing free Internet to more than 4,000 schools. In 2014, Bitel officially started its operations and became the only mobile network in Peru to provide nationwide 3G coverage. In 2016, Bitel became the first network to cover 4G nationwide. In 2023, it became the network with the largest frequency resources. In 2024, Bitel launched 5G services across Peru, with the widest coverage area. Over the past more than 10 years, Bitel has contributed to the widespread availability of telecommunications services, reducing service prices by 30 times. The telecommunications regulatory body, Osiptel, has rated Bitel as the network with the best customer service in Peru.
At the talks between Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong and Peru’s President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, and during the meeting with Lima's Mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga, the Peruvian President and the Mayor highly praised Bitel, and Viettel in general, for their investment in Peru, particularly Bitel's strong implementation of digital transformation projects and smart city development in Lima.
The Peruvian leaders affirmed their support for Viettel’s investments in Peru and expressed hope for Bitel to expand its coverage to even the most remote areas of the country, contributing to connecting families, communities, and small businesses, and making significant contributions to society. The Mayor of Lima also shared that the city is aiming to build a smart city; therefore, they greatly value the exchange of experience with Viettel and Bitel in this field.
What Bitel has done and is doing in Peru is truly commendable. As President Luong Cuong remarked during his talk with Bitel’s staff, “The success of Bitel not only brings economic value to Viettel and Bitel but is also a source of pride for Vietnam on the international stage. Bitel today not only contributes to Peru's economic development but also plays a key role in strengthening the friendship between the two countries.”
What Bitel has been doing in Peru is a very proud cause. As President Luong Cuong said during his talk with Bitel’s staff, “The success of Bitel not only brings economic value to Viettel and Bitel but is also a source of pride for Vietnam in the international arena. Bitel currently contributes to Peru's economic development and plays a key role in deepening the friendship between the two countries.
Translated by Quynh Oanh