A Starlink satellite internet signal receiver. (Photo: baohatinh.vn) The information is stated in a draft decree detailing articles and measures toimplement the Law on Telecommunications 2023, which is being consulted by theMIC.
In the section on providing telecommunications services, the draft paperprovides a number of provisions for cross-border services to Vietnamese users.
Under the draft decree, the supplier must have a commercial agreement with alicensed domestic telecommunications enterprise.
The domestic enterprise will then have to set up a technical plan to ensureinformation security, perform emergency prevention, and stop providing servicesat the request of competent state agencies.
In case of providing satellite telecommunications services, the supplier musthave a plan in which all traffic generated by satellite subscriber terminals inthe territory of Vietnam must pass through the ground gateway station locatedin Vietnam and connected to the public telecommunications network, according tothe draft decree.
This is a new point compared to the decree guiding the Law onTelecommunications 2009.
In addition, the establishment of fixed satellite and mobile telecommunicationsnetworks must also meet capital and investment conditions, such as contributedcharter capital must be at least 30 billion VND (1.2 million USD); and totalinvestment capital in the network must be at least 100 billion VND (4.1 millionUSD) in the first three years.
During the process of developing the new Telecommunications Law, the MICevaluated that satellite services with very large coverage areas can operateand provide services without either a technical or commercial presence in thehost country, which means they are providing cross-border services.
In the context of satellite technology increasingly expanding, they pose anumber of potential risks, such as data of users in Vietnam going directlyabroad and being collected and used illegally, the risks of data loss affectingthe service users’ rights, and network and information insecurity.
Therefore, satellite information services development must ensure sustainablemarket growth and the users’ rights, protecting personal information, andensuring information safety and security.
In Vietnam, the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) is the onlyunit that owns a satellite information network.
This form of connection uses VSAT (very small aperture terminal) with antennadiameters of 1.2-3m and the Vinasat broadband satellite information system toprovide services. However, this method has low speed and high cost.
The current trend in the world is to transmit satellite internet using lowearth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, like SpaceX is doing with Starlink.
Last year, some of this company's devices were brought to test demonstrationsat an event in Hanoi with transmission speeds of 150-200 Mbps.
The solution is expected to help provide internet to remote areas that aredifficult to reach with conventional cables.
The draft decree is open for comments until early April.
The new Law on Telecommunications will take effect from July 1./.
VNA