In response to requests for permission to increase the fees of 3G services, the Ministry of Information and Communications says that it will not interfere in adjusting the fees and service suppliers can set their own fees.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Le Nam Thang said that the State respected the right of enterprises to set prices and would not intervene. The State will only control fees related to public welfare and connection fees among enterprises, he added.

“Enterprises can set the fees based on costs, market demand and price comparison with regional countries. The ministry will not intervene but will inspect prices when necessary,” Thang told the Daily on Monday.

Under the Telecommunications Law, fees of telecom services, exclusive of some certain services required by the State, are decided by enterprises. A notable point of the law is that enterprises are not allowed to impose high telecom fees that destabilize the market, damage legitimate rights and interests of telecom service users, other enterprises and the State.

Regarding the 3G service fees, Viettel said early this month that it would increase the fees in the coming time.

Tong Viet Trung, deputy general director of Viettel, said that the number of 3G subscribers has increased strongly in the past time, resulting in a surge in data exchange volume on the network as well as a great pressure on network infrastructure. Meanwhile, the current 3G fees are lower than costs network providers have invested in infrastructure.

According to network providers, if the 3G fees are not adjusted up, providers would be incapable to reinvest in network infrastructure.

Therefore, Trung said that Viettel was reconsidering an increase in the fees of 3G service packages. However, basic packages designed for users with small data demand will be unchanged.

Earlier, MobiFone and VinaPhone have raised the 3G fees by 25% since April, from VND40,000 to VND50,000 per month.

3G services accounted for 40-60% of total revenues of network providers last year.

(Source: SGT)