The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) convened its 11th Policy and Regulatory Forum (PRF) in Hanoi on Tuesday with the participation of more than 120 delegates from APT members and non-members.

The three-day event aims to provide APT members with updated regulatory information along with opportunities to dialogue and share experience on telecommunication, information and communication technology (ICT) policies and regulations.

Participants will discuss concrete measures for popularizing broadband infrastructure and services across Vietnam.

At the forum, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Tran Đuc Lai briefed the participants on the Vietnamese Government’s Project on turning Vietnam into a strong ICT country by 2020.

He said the development and improvement of broadband telecommunication and ICT infrastructure are regarded as one of the six major targets of the project to be achieved within the next ten years.

Toshiyuki Yamada, APT Secretary General said broadband and technology convergence have quickly driven the world to knowledge-based economy and Asian-Pacific economies are pioneers in developing and applying new broadband technologies.

The Vietnamese Government has recently endeavored to improve the legal framework to boost the development of the telecommunication and ICT sector, including telecommunication broadband infrastructure, he said, adding that the Government’s project would help create a momentum for the country’s economic development.

This year’s APT forum takes place on the occasion of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) (May 17), which highlights the theme “Better life in rural communities with ICT”, adopted by ITU Council in 2009, and follows up on the theme of 2010: “Better city, better life with ICT”.

Source: VGP