10,230 stations were damaged
Storm No.3 caused severe damage to telecommunications infrastructure in localities where it passed through, breaking seven inter-provincial fiber optic cables and 12 intra-provincial transmission lines, and damaging 27 telecommunications towers, to name but a few. Especially in Hai Phong city and Quang Ninh province, many mobile subscribers had their services interrupted during and after the storm, affecting the people’s life and causing other problems due to the lack of mobile services.
The storm also affected the implementation of policies and strategies set forth by the information and communications sector. One of them is turning off 2G mobile waves to focus on digital infrastructure and digital resources for advanced and modern mobile waves such as 4G and 5G, promoting the digital economy.
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Viettel staff takes measure to restore the telecommunications system after storm. |
Postpone 2G wave cut-off to ensure communication in storm and flood-hit areas
Immediately after storm No.3 passed, the Ministry of Information and Communications directed its affiliated units and telecommunications enterprises to mobilize forces, vehicles, and equipment from neighboring provinces and cities to support storm-hit localities, urgently restore communications, ensure the telecommunications network; focus on overcoming problems, especially in areas where people are isolated, to ensure communication for search, rescue, and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters.
Suffering much damage in terms of telecommunications infrastructure caused by storm No.3, the Military Industry-Telecoms Group (Viettel) quickly took measures to establish communication. Viettel mobilized nearly 500 response teams with nearly 8,000 employees to handle technical issues in heavily storm No.3-affected localities, and support individuals and families experiencing mobile service disruptions. Meanwhile, nearly 200 charging stations were set up with equipment and power sources to serve people. So far, Viettel has completely restored network in storm-hit areas, and ensured mobile network to serve local authorities, military forces, and people. This has contributed significantly to ensuring smooth communication, creating favorable conditions for localities to soon overcome the consequences of the storm and reduce losses with absolute safety.
Meanwhile, the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has also mobilized hundreds of staff and equipment to handle and fix problems with telecommunications infrastructure and services in Hai Phong and Quang Ninh. To date, VNPT has completely restored communication in the two localities.
Regarding the 2G cut-off, according to Mr. Nguyen Phong Nha, Deputy Director of the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Information and Communications, during this time, telecommunications enterprises are focusing on overcoming the consequences of natural disasters and restoring telecommunications systems to ensure people’s communication. In addition, among the 2G subscribers who have not yet converted, most are needy and poor households, people living in remote and mountainous areas, or those who are in storm- and flood-hit areas. Therefore, the Ministry has decided to delay the cut-off of the 2G wave until October 15 to share the difficulties with the natural disaster-hit victims, and also to support and create conditions for telecommunications businesses to focus resources on overcoming the consequences of the natural disaster.
Translated by Minh Anh