The most important information and telecommunication events of the year were:

The most important information and telecommunication events of the year were:

1. Project 112 shut down

On April 19, 2007, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung decided to close the door on project 112 that was to computerize government offices from 2001-2005. Trillions of dong were spent and little was accomplished. The police were given the go-ahead to look into what the top people of Project 112 were doing with all that money and some were charged with embezzlement, corruption, abuse of power and attempt to defraud. The head of the management board of Project 112, the board’s secretary and some State officials concerned were put under investigation.

2. Prime Minister goes online

On February 9, 2007, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung went online to communicate with individuals and businesses on websites of the Government, the Communist Party and VietnamNet, an online newspaper. This was the first time the head of the Vietnamese Government went online to answer questions related to corruption, health, education, and economic management.

This was one of a number of online communications that took place in 2007 between government officials and heads of large corporations, individuals and businesses who just happened to be on the other end. This reflects the willingness of government officials to be responsible and accountable and connect with citizens. This reminds everyone how important information technology is to the political, economic and social life of the country.

3. Optic cable stolen - from the ocean floor!

On March 23, 2007, the TVH optic cable that connects Vietnam and Thailand ' + char(39)+ N'malfunctioned' + char(39)+ N'. All the information that was being transferred via this cable was then shifted to the SMW3 optic cable line. Upon investigation, it was discovered that fishermen have bought special equipment to cut and steal optic cable. The SMW3 optic cable, out there in the ocean, is in peril. If they get at this optic cable, VNPT (Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group) will instantly become for the most part unable to connect with the outside world.

On May 31, the Prime Minister released Official Telegraph 659/CD-TTg which required measures to be taken to protect sea-based optic cables and necessary actions are being taken to protect the SMW3 optic cable. At any rate, Viettel and EVN Telecom said that they' + char(39)+ N'll be willing to let VNPT temporarily use their cable if the SMW3 optic cable does get snatched. The concerned government officials and VNPT are no longer worried.

4. Vietnam to buy genuine Microsoft software

On May 21, 2007, Vietnam and Microsoft signed an agreement on strategic partnership between Microsoft and the Vietnamese Government. On the same day, the two sides also signed a contract for the Vietnamese Government to buy copyrighted Microsoft Office software at a price suitable to the financial capacity of the Vietnamese Government as well as the average income of Vietnamese people.

This agreement and contract reflect the strong commitment of the Vietnamese Government in protecting intellectual property rights. They are to increase the use of legal software in Vietnam and perhaps eventually lead to Vietnam not being a country with the highest incidence of software copyright violations.

5. Online fraud feeds on greed

First there was the Colony Group. They advertised that anyone smart enough to give them their money would get 2.5 percent interest - daily! The media had exposed them, but not until after tens of thousands of people had handed over their money hoping to get rich quick. After people sent Colony real money, they were credited with interest earned which they could watch grow on the Internet - but they got no real money. Only people who were in on the scam walked away with any money. Those who sold or mortgaged their house to get in big on the ' + char(39)+ N'investment' + char(39)+ N' kissed it goodbye.

6. The new Ministry of Information and Communications

On August 2, 2007, the National Assembly established the Ministry of Information and Communications. It was made from the Ministry of Posts and Telematics and the Ministry of Culture and Information' + char(39)+ N's state media branch, the two combined under the new name. Le Doan Hop is the first Minister of Information and Communications. This ministry is going to be run in an entirely new and streamlined manner.

7. Prices soar while mobile phone use gets cheaper

In late 2007 Viettel lowered its mobile phone service charges by 15 percent. Soon after, other GSM mobile phone networks dropped their charges even more. VNPT has lowered Vinaphone and MobiFone charges by 20 percent.

While almost all goods and services in Vietnam are climbing skyward, it' + char(39)+ N's nice to see that mobile phone service charges have gotten cheaper.

8. A look at phone and Internet service quality

Vietnamese telecommunication service providers are scrambling for customers and both old and new customers are crying out for better service. It turns out that MobiFone, which uses a GMS (Global System for Mobile Communications) network is providing the best service. CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) was not functioning as well here in Vietnam. S-Fone, once thought to be a good choice, came out at the bottom.

For ADSL (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Loop) Internet connection service, Viettel took top marks for high-speed connectability. VDC (Vietnam Data Communication Company), a previously respected ADSL provider, was fined for providing substandard service.

9. Internet Vietnam' + char(39)+ N's 10th anniversary

On November 19, 1997, at the headquarters of the former Department General of Posts and Telecommunications and the former Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Corporation, 18 Nguyen Du, Hanoi (now the headquarters of the Ministry of Information and Communications), Vietnam was officially connected to global Internet. Though at that time most Vietnamese people didn' + char(39)+ N't know much about the Internet, it was the domestic posts and telecommunications sector' + char(39)+ N's first step towards international integration. Now, 10 years later, there are five million Internet subscribers in Vietnam, one million of these using ADSL (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Loop). In Vietnam the Internet is being used by nearly 19 million people or 21.2 percent of the country' + char(39)+ N's population, which is higher than the world average (16.9 percent), the number in Thailand (12.65 percent) and the number in China (9.41 percent). International Internet connection lines in Vietnam have a 15Gbps capacity. The Internet has reached most communes in the country and now in the big cities there' + char(39)+ N's also E-commerce, WiFi, and Wimax.

10. Pre-paid phone users will have to register

The Ministry of Information and Communications officially decided that starting January 1, 2008, mobile phone service providers will have to start collecting the names and personal information of the people that buy mobile phone numbers (SIM cards), i.e. pre-paid mobile phone subscribers. In addition, every number in use that is not registered will be made inoperable on January 1, 2010. This decision will affect more than 20 million prepaid subscription numbers which are now in use.

On July 1, 2007 the Law on Housing and Accommodation went into effect. Under this law, people who want to buy a postpaid mobile phone supscription number will not have to show their family record/home registration books. This will make it easier for those people who come from other provinces/cities to use postpaid telecommunication services in the city/province where they are temporarily living and working (this was impossible before the Law on Housing and Accommodation came into effect).