Customers should use 3G and fixed phone technology to avoid network congestion during the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, telecommunications companies have said.

Demand for mobile phone services would increase by between 3 and 5 per cent over Tet, so customers should use 3G technology to avoid overburdening the 2G network, said Tao Huu Thang, Viettel deputy director of Technology.

Mobile phone providers also recommended that customers should not send multi-media messages during the busy points of the holiday such as new year’s eve and the first day of the new year.

If calls or messages failed, customers should wait a few minutes before trying again, they said.

Turning off “delivery reports” was also another way customers could support the networks during the busy period.

To encourage customers to use fixed phone and 3G technology, providers have introduced promotional programmes, including cutting the cost of fixed phone services. For example, Viettel has cut fixed phone service costs by 40 per cent.

In addition, providers have also made investments in their infrastructure.

VinaPhone widened and upgraded its infrastructure and invested in more base transceiver stations to meet the increasing demand for the Tet holiday, said head of VinaPhone’s Sales Department Pham Ngoc Tu.

Tu added that his company had 22,000 stations nationwide with a further 10,000 3G stations covering the country.

With this investment, VinaPhone could meet 200-300 per cent of the daily demand, Tu affirmed.

To avoid network congestion, Vinaphone has also installed 30 mobile stations in crowded areas such as Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi and District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Like VinaPhone, Vittel has also invested in infrastructure. The telecoms giant has installed 186 new base transceiver stations which will be supported by 35 mobile stations during Tet.

Mobifone said it would have to invest a large amount to avoid network congestion.

Other small telecoms companies such as Vietnamobile, S-Fone and EVN Telecom have also completed upgrades.

Source: VIR