EVN Telecom, USAID, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and the Center for Research and Consulting on Management (CRC) are working together to support underserved communities in Vietnam through the establishment of CTLCs with computers, software and Internet connectivity via 3G CDMA wireless technology.

Ming Li, vice-president of business development for Qualcomm, said: "Through Wireless Reach initiative, Qualcomm is committed to actively supporting the Vietnamese Government to increase the rate of Internet users and inclusively improve the learning environment. TOPIC64 cultivates new learning opportunities in Vietnam through the provision of 3G Internet access and Microsoft materials that have been translated into Vietnamese with corresponding training. The CTLCs offer an avenue for local people to get trained on practical applications and skills that hopefully can translate into jobs for them."

About the matter, US ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak said "One of my primary objectives as a US ambassador to Vietnam is to actively support initiatives to increase learning opportunities for Vietnamese citizens. TOPIC64 is a shining example indicating how public/private partnership agreements could work to improve access to education in Vietnam through bringing low-cost voice and data services to rural areas and increasing learning opportunities for Vietnamese communities."

TOPIC64 was launched in April 2006 as one of Qualcomm ' + char(39)+ N' s first Wireless Reach projects. It seeks to educate Vietnamese citizens in basic IT, management and marketing skills by providing technical expertise via teacher training and technical support at each of the CTLCs. Qualcomm and EVN Telecom have invested in upgrading the Dong Anh center to EV-DO to enable additional services and enhanced educational learning opportunities on EVN Telecom ' + char(39)+ N' s new broadband wireless network. In 2006, the Development Gateway Award selected TOPIC64 from 160 projects worldwide into the seven finalists for excellence in application of ICT for communities. In 2007, the Stockholm Challenge Award also named TOPIC64 among the three international finalists for ICT application in education.

"To date, approximately 24,000 students have been trained with the centers ' + char(39)+ N' s basic IT training program, about 840 teachers have been tested and trained about the new curriculum and teaching methodology," says Dr. Tuan Pham, director of CRC. "The importance of ICT in Vietnam ' + char(39)+ N' s education has increased significantly over the past few years, and with the upgrade to EV-DO technology, we hope to promote other online learning opportunities for rural citizens, as well as potentially work with the Vietnamese Government to provide government services online."

"Being well aware of TOPIC64 ' + char(39)+ N' s importance and social benefit and its reliance on our CDMA technology network, EVNTelecom is pleased to be providing high-speed Internet access, free CPE, one-year free services for CTLC and around-the-clock technical support for the project," said Nguyen Manh Bang, CEO of EVNTelecom, a subsidiary of EVN Group now operating a CDMA2000 450Mhz cellular mobile network nationwide, and one of three full-licensed telecom operators in Vietnam.

Evolution-Data Optimized or Evolution-Data only, abbreviated as EV-DO or EVDO EV-DO is a high-speed network protocol used for wireless data communications, primarily Internet access. EV-DO is considered a broadband technology like DSL or cable modem Internet services. It was designed as an evolution of the CDMA2000 standard that would support high data rates and could be deployed alongside a wireless carrier ' + char(39)+ N'  s voice services