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Category: Telecom

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Telecom & Telco news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Nokia to produce 5G equipment in northern Vietnam

    Nokia to produce 5G equipment in northern Vietnam

    Finish telecom giant Nokia has selected Foxconn Bac Giang in northern Vietnam as the producer of its new 5G equipment to serve both domestic and international needs.

    Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn starting next month will begin producing Nokia’s AirScale products, which were launched last year, Nokia said in a statement Tuesday.

    AirScale equipment are said to provide extended 5G coverage with high efficiency.

    Production is set to be scaled up to increase volume starting September.

    Part of the products will be sold in Vietnam, where Nokia has already partnered with local companies in developing 5G technology.

    Local manufacturing will enable Vietnamese service providers to fast-track 5G rollouts, the company said.

    Nokia Global CEO Pekka Lundmark, during his visit to Vietnam in March, said that this company supports the government’s policy on producing equipment locally.

    Many of Nokia’s network equipment products have been made in Vietnam.

    Vietnam is expected to commercialize 5G this year. Two state-owned telecom firms Viettel and VNPT have won bids for 5G frequency licenses.

    Another frequency will be auctioned in June.

    Regulations require a winning bidder to deploy 5G services within 12 months of receiving licenses and to have at least 3,000 5G stations after two years.

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  • Huawei opens a flashy store across the street from the Apple Store in this city

    Huawei opens a flashy store across the street from the Apple Store in this city

    You surely have seen a McDonald’s located next to a Burger King, or a Nike store near Adidas. Believe me, it’s not a coincidence.

    Now, if you hop on the plane to Shanghai for the weekend, you’ll see Huawei’s new flagship store – it’s just across the street from Apple’s flagship shop. A Reuters report tells the story – Huawei, updating its retail strategy, is aggressively opening flagship stores in China.

    Many are “just a stone’s throw away from Apple shops”. How convenient.

    Huawei’s recently renovated Shanghai flagship store takes an enormous place – three floors of a famous heritage architecture building in the financial hub’s busy shopping district. It includes a coffee shop and a gym!

    Huawei opened four such flagship stores in major Chinese cities between December and February, shifting from licensed distributors after rebounding from 2019 U.S. sanctions. “The Huawei flagship store is very nice. It looks much brighter inside compared to the Apple Store across the street,” said Amy Chen, a 27-year-old physiotherapist.

    Huawei now has 11 flagship stores and plans to surpass 20, aiming to catch up to Apple’s 47 in China. Huawei’s new stores and premium products challenge Apple, which saw a 6.6% drop in iPhone sales in China in Q1 2023, while Huawei’s shipments increased by 110%.

    The Far East behemoth has developed its own chips and popular 5G products, aggressively recruiting dealers.

    “As Huawei now manages to ship in large quantities, given the good profit margin they could provide, (distributors) have become willing to purchase Huawei devices again,” said Ethan Qi, associate director at Counterpoint.

    Over 5,200 licensed stores opened in early 2023, mostly in smaller cities. This marketing push has significantly impacted Apple and other Chinese smartphone makers like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo.

    Huawei’s flagship stores showcase premium products, competing directly with Apple. “Huawei now has a long product line,” Qi noted. Between 70-80% of Huawei’s sales come from physical stores, while Apple sees about 40% online.

    This comeback is felt beyond mainland China, with Hong Kong shops like Trinity Electronics stocking more Huawei devices. “People are willing to pay a lot of money for high-end Huawei,” said owner Simon Lam.

  • Blend business and pleasure on the same phone with Verizon’s dirt-cheap new Second Number feature

    Blend business and pleasure on the same phone with Verizon’s dirt-cheap new Second Number feature

    Have you ever felt the need to use two different phone numbers for various business or, well, personal reasons? Instead of carrying two mobile devices with you all the time, which can be a bit of a hassle, Verizon will let you activate an aptly named Second Number feature on your account for just $10 a month until June 5.

    That sounds far more convenient than the traditional alternative and it also looks way less suspicious to anyone who might want to pry into your secret… business. Of course, you don’t have to be a double agent or a Tinder addict to find this new service useful, as Big Red points out a second phone number can greatly help folks operating side gigs as well as frequent sellers on online marketplaces keep their primary and secondary activities separate with little effort and minimal costs.

    Speaking of costs, it’s important to point out that the aforementioned June 5 cutoff date refers to how long you have to “lock in” the promotional $10 a month price, which should then go unchanged in perpetuity (or until Verizon changes its mind). If you don’t sign up by that date, you can obviously still do so at a later time, but only at a raised monthly cost of $15.

    Either way, this looks like a pretty affordable method to get an extra wireless service line with unlimited talk and text. There will be no data on it, however, which is what allows the plan to be so extremely cheap. You’ll need to take care of all data-related business on your primary line, mind you, which presents a series of… challenges you can only overcome using good old fashioned text messaging.

    To get started, you’ll have to be an existing Verizon customer (well, duh!) with a dual SIM smartphone in your possession. While the nation-leading carrier has an extensive support webpage dedicated to explaining how you can use two numbers on a compatible handset, there doesn’t seem to be a list anywhere containing all such devices (or at least some of them), which makes today’s launch feel a little incomplete and confusing.

  • Nokia signs 5G patent deal with vivo

    Nokia signs 5G patent deal with vivo

    Nokia has signed a lot of 5G patent agreements in the last year. The Finnish company recent convinced Oppo that it’s better to make use of technology that other companies patent by simply paying for it.

    Today, Nokia is signing yet another 5G patent agreement, this time with another Chinese smartphone maker, vivo. Granted, this is a multi-year cross-license agreement that will benefit both companies, it’s vivo that gains on the short run since it can now return to the German market after losing the lawsuit filed by Nokia.

    The announcement mentions that the new deal “resolved all pending patent litigations between the parties, in all jurisdictions.” However, the terms of the agreement remain confidential, so there’s not much we can add to this.

    With this licensing agreement, Nokia “has now almost completed its smartphone license renewal cycle,” the company notes. The Finnish giant signed similar agreements with other big smartphone companies like Samsung, Honor, Huawei, Oppo, and even Apple.

    “This is the sixth major smartphone patent license agreement we have signed in the past thirteen months, and we have now almost completed our smartphone license renewal cycle. Together these licensing agreements demonstrate Nokia’s significant contribution to developing key technologies relied upon by the entire smartphone industry and they will provide long-term stability to our licensing business for years to come,” said Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies.

    Nokia expects its intellectual property licensing business to generate around €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) in the mid-term, which isn’t that much considering that the company invested around €150 billion in R&D.

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  • FPT Retail debuts mobile virtual network in Vietnam

    FPT Retail debuts mobile virtual network in Vietnam

    Electronics retailer FPT Retail has unveiled its own mobile virtual network, marking it as the country’s fifth such network.

    Known for operating the FPT Shop chain and being a subsidiary of the tech giant FPT, FPT Retail does not have its own network infrastructure but leases network services from MobiFone and offers subscriptions to consumers at its own pricing.

    With an established ecosystem that includes over 800 FPT Shops across 63 Vietnamese cities and provinces, FPT Retail is poised to leverage its substantial retail presence. These shops annually sell around 1.5 million smartphones and various electronic gadgets.

    The new network will be infused with advanced features like cloud computing and artificial intelligence, targeting a demographic keen on cutting-edge technologies, specifically younger consumers. It also aims to cater to businesses and households.

    FPT Retail’s strategy involves incorporating various FPT services into the network, enhancing the overall user experience, said CEO Hoang Trung Kien.

    The introduction of this network adds to the existing roster of mobile virtual network operators in Vietnam, which currently includes iTel, Wintel, Local, and VNSKY.

    As of early 2023, these operators collectively serviced about 2.56 million subscribers, accounting for 2.1% of the total Vietnamese market.

    The majority of the market is still dominated by five telecom firms that own network infrastructure, namely VinaPhone, Viettel, MobiFone, Vietnammobile, and Gtel.

  • FPT Telecom becomes Cloudflare’s official distributor

    FPT Telecom becomes Cloudflare’s official distributor

    FPT Telecom has reached a cooperation agreement with Cloudflare to provide solutions to Vietnamese businesses’ network security problems.

    The cooperation was announced at FPT Tower, Hanoi, on September 5, with the attendance of representatives from both sides, including Vu Anh Tu, CTO of FPT Corporation; Tran Thanh Hai, CTO of FPT Telecom; Tran Hai Duong, Chairman and CEO of FPT Telecom International (FTI); Do Anh Tuan, Director of FPT Telecom International’s Business Division; Karun Ruamsuke, Cloudflare’s Head of Indochina, Thailand, PHL; Mai Thi Ngoc Tu, Cloudflare’s Indochina Sales Lead; and Tan Ghim Hwee (Ghims), Cloudflare’s ASEAN Channel Account Manager.

    There were also solution experts, many guests from government agencies, and senior leaders in technology and financial companies.

    Duong said that FPT Telecom has officially become Cloudflare’s distributor in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. This marks a crucial step forward in the company’s Go Global strategy.

    The event also plays an important role in helping businesses in the region optimize their website’s access speed, enhance security, and reduce operation costs.

    FPT Telecom, with a large customer base and proven ability to deploy cloud computing services through many typical case studies in the banking and finance sectors, can advise on and deploy security solutions for all customers in all industries.

    Becoming Cloudflare’s first official focused distributor in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia also helps FPT Telecom deliver the best support to customers in terms of technology and cost optimization.

    Accordingly, FPT Telecom will provide enterprises with two main product groups: Cloudflare SME for small and medium enterprises with optimal performance and cost; and Cloudflare Enterprise, which provides the full range of Cloudflare product groups (network, application, zero trust, developer services) and tailor-made solutions to meet the unique service requirements of customers.

    Karun, a Cloudflare representative, also shared his sincere thanks and affirmed the importance of the solid cooperative relationship between Cloudflare and FPT Telecom. It is strengthening its position as a leading telecommunications supplier and bringing advanced cloud technology and cloud security solutions to customers.

    FPT Telecom is committed to bringing various benefits and excellent experiences to customers using services from Cloudflare based on their strengths in deploying and providing solutions for large customers; having connections with network operators in Vietnam with the largest PoP placed at FPT Telecom; owning an experienced technician team with more than 40 Cloudflare certified engineers who are available to support anytime, anywhere; and being adequately qualified to be Cloudflare’s Level 1 support in Vietnam.

    Established in 2009 with headquarters in San Francisco, California, USA, Cloudflare is a technology company specializing in security solutions, DDoS attack prevention from layer 3 to layer 7, and global network infrastructure.

    Cloudflare is one of the leading security and privacy service providers in the industry with the largest infrastructure capacity compared to any similar providers, with infrastructure in over 300 cities in over 100 countries, including China with more than 30 POPs.

    The company aims to build a more sustainable and secure Internet environment for everyone. It meets the flexible requirements of any customer with diverse solutions such as security, optimization, and acceleration for websites and applications; it provides an all-in-one solution for network scalability and security; data storage; and developer timeline improvement.

    FPT Telecom Joint Stock Company (FPT Telecom) is one of the region’s leading telecom and Internet service providers. Established on January 31, 1997, the Online Service Center was founded by four members with the first Internet product from Vietnam, called Vietnamese Wisdom (TTVN).

    The product is considered the foundation for Internet development in Vietnam.

    With the pioneering mission of bringing the Internet and connection to the Vietnamese people, along with the great desire for every Vietnamese family to use at least one service of the company, FPT Telecom is making efforts to implement the strategy “Bringing the Best Experience for Customers” on the basis of promoting the core cultural value of “customer-centric” and the foundation of FPT technology power, thereby pioneering to become a digital service provider with the most outstanding customer experience nationwide.

    FPT Cloud Hub is an ecosystem of applications and services surrounding cloud computing developed by FPT Telecom International Co., Ltd. (FTI).

    The company provides advanced, quality solutions specifically for businesses in Vietnam and the region, with the top criteria being: increasing the application experience of businesses and their customers; optimizing costs of equipment, infrastructure, and cloud computing platforms; and supporting the building and conversion of systems from classic platforms to advanced cloud computing infrastructure.

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  • Huawei might introduce an asymmetrical foldable smartphone someday

    Huawei might introduce an asymmetrical foldable smartphone someday

    Foldable smartphones are becoming more popular with each new model introduced by different manufacturers. Samsung launched its Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 last month, Google unveiled its Pixel Fold back in May, and Huawei launched its Mate X3 internationally around the same time. Now, it looks like the latter is working on something a bit different when it comes to foldable smartphones.

    Blogger Jerrold_tech posted on Weibo what they say are pictures of patented designs for Huawei’s future folding phone. The images reveal an innovative type of foldable phone featuring asymmetrical halves, where the left side is taller than the right side.

    Unlike all other foldable smartphones currently available, this patent unveils a design in which the two halves are of different sizes when the phone is unfolded. This difference seems to come from the camera position, which is not in the usual spot at the back of the phone. When the phone is unfolded, the camera resides in the upper left corner, playing the role of a front-facing selfie camera. Once folded, the right panel aligns beneath this camera, enabling the latter to serve as the primary rear camera.
    One of the benefits of this foldable phone’s a bit strange design is that it can use just one camera setup, no matter if the device is folded or not. The patented design also shows that one of the cameras is a Time-of-Flight (ToF) lens, so it can be used for face recognition as well.

    The shared images don’t give away any more details about the patent, but if Huawei is indeed developing this new kind of foldable, it might add some variety to the foldable phone market. Since this info is all based on rumors and there’s been no official confirmation from Huawei, it’s best to take it with a pinch of skepticism. Still, it would be pretty cool to see this asymmetrical design actually come to life.

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  • Verizon confirms price changes for older Unlimited phone plans

    Verizon confirms price changes for older Unlimited phone plans

    There have been reports about possible price changes of Verizon’s grandfathered plans last month, but the carrier has only confirmed those reports this week. Unfortunately, monthly prices of specific legacy Unlimited and Single Basic Phone plan will be higher beginning August 29.

    The price increase impacts all of Verizon’s older Unlimited mobile phones, so unless you have a tablet or smartwatch plan, you’ll have to pay more for the carrier’s services come August 29.

    That being said, the following older Verizon plans will have their prices adjusted, so you’ll see an added charge of $3/month per mobile phone line:

    • Go Unlimited 2.0
    • Beyond Unlimited 2.0
    • Above Unlimited
    • 5G Start

    Additionally, Verizon confirmed that starting August 29, the Single Basic Phone plan will see an added charge of $5/month per mobile phone line. As per Verizon’s statement, the first month, customers may see a partial Plan Rate Adjustment charge in the One-time charges & credits section of their bills.

    However, the changes for the coming month can also be seen in the Plans section since customers usually pay for their monthly mobile service plan in advance. Lines with tablets, smartwatch and other devices will not be affected by the price hikes, as mentioned earlier.

    As far as the reasoning behind the price increases go, your guess is as good as ours. Verizon says that “it’s committed to bringing you the best experience for your Verizon mobile phone service,” but that’s standard practice in this type of situation.

    Those who want to avoid the price increase have two options: switch to another carrier or move to a current Unlimited plan, which aren’t subject to these new charges. A third option would be switching to a Verizon prepaid plan.

  • T-Mobile is making things worse for people struggling financially

    T-Mobile is making things worse for people struggling financially

    Just when you think T-Mobile is done delivering bad news, something new comes along. Just today, it was reported that customers are having a meltdown at stores after learning about the new fee for offline payments and now the carrier has dropped two more bombs.
    The Mobile Report spotted a change to the company’s terms and conditions and found two potentially worrying things. One of the clauses says that “you may still incur charges while an account or service is suspended.” This means that the company has the right to charge you even when you are not using their services because of a non-payment suspension.
    Your account may still accrue charges even if the Service is suspended. You are responsible for any charges that are incurred while your Service or account is suspended. You agree to pay all Charges we assess and bill you, including charges covering periods where your Service is suspended for non-payment, or Charges that were accepted or processed through all Devices and/or Products on your account, including while your service is suspended. If your account is unpaid or otherwise not in good standing, your service may be reduced, suspended, or terminated. Charges may not be prorated while your Service is suspended. If you port your number to another carrier, your Service will be deactivated immediately once the number is ported, though you will still be charged for a full billing cycle.

    And even though the website uses the word “may,” The Mobile Report has received a screenshot of an internal document that says that customers will be charged during account suspension.

    This went into effect on July 19 and employees have apparently been told that the charges are not prorated – meaning customers will be charged the full amount for the entire billing period – and they will not be credited.
    As is the case with the offline payment fiasco, employees will have to deal with disappointed customers and this time around, T-Mobile doesn’t even explain why it has made this change.
    Verizon is the only of the big three carriers that does not charge customers during non-payment suspensions.
    Besides that, T-Mobile also says it’s “not responsible for any… …information, goods, or services provided by third parties.” So if you do business with a third party and something goes wrong, you can raise a dispute but it would be up to T-Mobile if it wants to help and it can walk away scot-free.
    This means that customers will have to be a lot more careful about where they shop from as T-Mobile can simply refuse to help if something goes wrong with the device you were provided or you were misguided about a plan by an authorized retailer.
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  • Verizon’s all-digital Visible unit has a deal on the Pixel Fold that starts on July 18th

    Verizon’s all-digital Visible unit has a deal on the Pixel Fold that starts on July 18th

    July is almost here already which means that from now through next Wednesday, July 5th, Verizon’s all-digital wireless unit Visible is still offering $5 a month off of its Visible plan for new subscribers. For $25 per month per line (taxes and fees included), you get unlimited talk, text, and data. This plan does support 5G and LTE connectivity, but keep in mind that the 5G service for this plan is limited to Verizon’s slower low-band 5G.
    The Visible plan includes unlimited calls and texts from the U.S. to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Saipan. In times of heavy traffic for the Nationwide 5G and LTE networks, your data speed may get throttled. This plan also offers unlimited mobile hotspot capabilities for one device at speeds up to 5Mbps. During times of heavy traffic, your hotspot speed might get throttled. When you’re in the States, you can make unlimited calls and send unlimited messages to Canada and Mexico. And spam is blocked before it even gets to your phone. Again, this plan is $25 per month unless you wait until July 6th or later to subscribe when the price reverts back to $30 per month.
    If you want faster 5G data speeds, the Visible+ plan is $45 per month (fees and taxes included) and it uses both Verizon’s Nationwide 5G and its C-band Ultra Wideband signals. The latter delivers a download data speed up to 10 times faster (from personal experience) than Nationwide 5G. And yes, Visible+ has 4G LTE connectivity. With this plan, you can use your phone as a mobile hotspot with unlimited data speed of up to 5Mbps.
    Starting on July 18th, Visible will offer the Pixel Fold with a deal that offers buyers a $200 gift card if certain conditions are met
    This plan also offers $10 off on Verizon home internet, spam protection, and unlimited calls and texts to Canada and Mexico when you’re in the States. It also provides talk, text, and unlimited data when traveling in Mexico and Canada, plus the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. International calling is included from the U.S. to 30+ countries. You can call up to 500 minutes per month at no additional cost. With the Visible+ plan, you also can partake in unlimited texting internationally from the U.S. to over 200 countries & territories worldwide.
    Now here’s the big news. Starting on July 18th you can buy the Pixel Fold from Visible and receive a $200 gift card back. Here’s how it works. Join Visible and sign up for the Visible+ plan and create your account. Within 30 days of purchasing the Pixel Fold from Visible, transfer your number from an eligible carrier. Set up your SIM and activate the phone. After completing 3 full months of service payments on the Visible+ plan, you will receive an email with a code to redeem your virtual gift card.
    The Pixel Fold will be available in Obsidian with 256GB of storage and will be priced at $1,799; it can be financed through Affirm for 36 months ($49.97 per month).
    You can also test out the Visible network free for 15 days without having to produce a credit card number. You just need to have an unlocked iPhone XS/XR or later. The thing about Visible is that while it doesn’t have any physical retail stores, it does have a chat team that you can get in contact with 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And since Visible uses Verizon’s networks, its signals cover 99% of the U.S. population.
    Some say that wireless firms like Visible are the wave of the future since subscribers can take care of everything from the comfort of home without having to drive to a crowded store and be forced to deal with company reps. Still, not everyone is tech savvy which means that old-school retail stores are still necessary for now. But if you do know what you’re doing, an all-digital wireless provider might save you some money in the long run.
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  • Rumor in China says the U.S. will allow Qualcomm to ship 5G chips to Huawei

    Rumor in China says the U.S. will allow Qualcomm to ship 5G chips to Huawei

    Huawei consumer chief Yu Chengdong (you might know him by his Americanized name of Richard Yu) denies that the company is getting access to 5G Snapdragon chips. He calls reports that the U.S. is easing chip restrictions on Huawei inaccurate which means that unless the manufacturer releases some official news, the upcoming Mate 60 line will still be forced to use a Snapdragon chipset tweaked to work with 4G and not 5G.
    Could Huawei regain the ability to use 5G chipsets on its phones? In 2020, exactly one year to the day that the U.S. placed the company on the Entity List preventing it from accessing its U.S. supply chain, the U.S. expanded its export rules. Chip foundries using American technology to manufacture chips were not allowed to send cutting-edge silicon to Huawei. With its recent flagship models, Huawei has used Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips tweaked so they do not work with 5G signals.
    For example, last year’s Mate 50 line and this year’s P60 series were powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 although to receive 5G signals, users could purchase a specific case that supported those signals. But this all could be changing according to Huawei Central. Industry sources are saying that the U.S. has loosened its export rules to allow Qualcomm to ship 5G chips to Huawei.
    But it is all speculation until there is an official announcement from the U.S. or Huawei. Still, back in January, Qualcomm’s President, of Technology Licensing (QTL) & Global Affairs, Alex Rogers, said that the U.S. hasn’t stopped Qualcomm from selling chips to Huawei. Rogers stated, “So I don’t think it’s fair to characterize it as the latest restrictions on Huawei. What we’ve seen in our news reports the effect that Commerce is considering not issuing new licenses outweighs. And we haven’t heard anything from Commerce itself” (italics added).
    Huawei released an amazing phone last year in the Mate 50 Pro, and being limited to 4G connectivity (unless you bought the 5G case) didn’t seem to hinder sales inside China where long lines and sellouts greeted the device. Now back to its old schedule of releasing two flagship models a year (the photography-focused P series is launched in the first quarter followed by the technologically advanced Mate series in the fourth quarter), the Mate 60 line is expected to be released later in 2023.
    If the U.S. does allow Huawei to use 5G chips for the Mate 60 series, the manufacturer’s domestic rivals might sweat a little. After all, China is still the largest smartphone market in the world, and after showing that it can still make solid flagship phones even with U.S. restrictions, having one of those restrictions eased will only make Huawei more dangerous in its home market.
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  • ​FPT Telecom gets new chairman

    ​FPT Telecom gets new chairman

    Hoang Nam Tien, chairman of FPT Telecom for the last three years, has been named vice chairman of FPT University.

    He will not join the board of directors of FPT Telecom Joint Stock Company (FPT Telecom) for the 2023-28 term.

    After becoming chairman in March 2020, Tien, 54, led FPT Telecom past the numerous challenges posed by the Covid pandemic.

    In 2020-22 the telecom operator’s revenues increased from VND11.46 trillion ($490 million) to 14.7 trillion and profits from VND 1.6 trillion to VND2.25 trillion.

    It also launched many new products and services such as FPT Camera, Foxpay e-wallet and FPT Play, an OTT service offered directly to viewers via the Internet.

    Tien started working for FPT Group in 1993.

    He has held many leadership positions in the corporation such as chairman of FPT Software Co. Ltd (2012-20), general director of FPT Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park Development Co. Ltd (2007-12) and general director of FPT Distribution Co. Ltd (2003 – 08).

    Replacing him as FPT Telecom chairman is Hoang Viet Anh.

    FPT Group said the changes are in line with its agenda of rotating senior leaders.

    Anh also joined FPT in 1993 as a programmer when he was still a student.

    He too has held many senior management positions, working as general director of FPT Telecom since early 2018 and currently also holding the position of deputy general director of FPT Corporation and chairman of FPT Digital Transformation Consulting Company.

    Nguyen Hoang Linh replaces hun as FPT Telecom general director.

    Linh has worked for 15 years at FPT Telecom and is currently deputy general director.

  • Telecom operators want OTT players to pay for use of networks

    Telecom operators want OTT players to pay for use of networks

    Vietnamese telecom operators want OTT communications service providers to pay for using their networks, which they use to deliver their services but end up competing with them.

    Paying for the use would ensure a more fair and sustainable business model for themselves since they invest in setting up and maintaining the networks, telecom companies said at a meeting with the Ministry of Information and Communications on April 6.

    The CEO of Viettel Telecom, Cao Anh Son, said while telecom operators are witnessing a sharp decline in such services as calling and SMS, foreign OTT service providers operating in Vietnam are growing strongly, some in double digits.

    “The operators provide infrastructure for OTT players, but the OTT players do not contribute to the infrastructure development. The investment burden on the operators is big.”

    Data from Viettel shows 80% of Internet traffic between Vietnam and the world is for Facebook, Google and Netflix.

    A minor change in user behavior or content delivery, such as upgrading videos from HD to 4K resolution, can put a lot of pressure on network transmission. Bui Son Nam, deputy general director of MobiFone, hoped the amendments to the Telecommunications Law being drafted by the ministry would require cross-border OTT players to share infrastructure development costs with telecom operators.

    Nam and Son also pointed out that if cross-border OTT players and social networks cooperate with telecoms operators, it would help the ministry manage platforms and their contents better.

    In the amendments being made to the law, the ministry’s Vietnam Telecommunications Authority has called for regulating OTT services such as Zalo and Telegram.

    These OTT services are similar to calling and texting, and so should be regarded as basic telecom services on the Internet and need to be brought under the Telecommunications Law.

    In March European telecom operators they asked big tech firms in the U.S. to pay for the use of their networks.

    But the latter argued that they should not be asked to pay for the use of networks because they are already paying for the data they use as consumers.

    It would stifle innovation and competition in the internet and OTT space, and could lead to higher costs for end-users, they claimed.

    At a seminar held to discuss the proposed amendments on March 23 Vu Tu Thanh of the US-ASEAN Business Council said 10 years ago U.S. telecom company AT&T asked OTT players to pay, resulting in a major controversy.

    Eventually, OTT players did not pay after the principle of net neutrality was invoked to prevent discrimination between various services on the Internet, he said.

    “For example, high-priced services will be prioritized for bandwidth, while bandwidth for free services will be squeezed. This will make it difficult for essential social services, and services for small and medium-sized businesses.”

  • Better late than never, Google Fi’s 5G network now works on iPhones

    Better late than never, Google Fi’s 5G network now works on iPhones

    Google Fi, the company’s MVNO cellular carrier service, has tweeted that it is extending its 5G coverage to include iPhones. This is a major step forward for the company, as only Google’s Pixel phones could connect to Fi’s 5G network earlier.

    iPhone users who are Google Fi subscribers will now be able to utilize the service’s 5G network in 35 cities across the United States due to the extension. Google Fi’s use of numerous wireless networks, including T-Mobile, Sprint, and US wireless, enables this.To use Google Fi’s 5G network, iPhone users must have a compatible smartphone and be in a 5G coverage region.

    The network supports 5G-capable iPhones such as the iPhone 12 or newer.

    Google Fi’s 5G network guarantees customers faster bandwidth and reduced latency. This is especially useful for those who watch video or play games on their phones and companies that require dependable and quick internet connections.

    This late, but welcomed, expansion of Google Fi’s 5G network into the iPhone market is part of the company’s continuing attempts to bring its service to a broader variety of devices. While Google Fi was initially only accessible on Google’s Pixel phones, it has since been extended to include a wide range of Android devices and, most recently, iPhones using 4G.

    Using 5G on existing iPhones that are already on Google Fi’s network will require a few steps which include navigating to your iPhone’s Settings, then accessing the “Cellular” section. Once there, select “Cellular Data Options,” then “Voice & Data” or “Cellular”. Finally, pick “Voice & Data” and “5G Auto” after tapping your phone number.

    Overall, Google Fi’s 5G network extension to iPhones is a major development for both the business and its customers as Google Fi’s 5G network claims to provide a better user experience. Furthermore, the expansion of Google Fi’s service to iPhones is likely to draw new users, cementing the company’s place as a significant participant in the wireless carrier market.
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  • T-Mobile subscribers can make hands-free calls using the Alexa digital assistant

    T-Mobile subscribers can make hands-free calls using the Alexa digital assistant

    Back in 2020, AT&T subscribers could use the Alexa digital assistant on their Echo smart speaker and smart display to make and take phone calls over the AT&T network. These calls could be going out to numbers in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, or coming in from callers in those countries. A year later, Verizon subscribers were allowed to link their phone numbers to the Alexa digital assistant on their smart speakers allowing them to make or take hands-free calls.

    T-Mobile subscribers are now able to connect their phone numbers with Alexa allowing subscribers of the nation’s second-largest carrier to make or take calls hands-free through Alexa. A tip  The Mobile Report (formerly The T-Mobile Report) received included an image showing a cartoonish T-Mobile subscriber saying “Alexa, make a call.”  The rest of the copy on the promo says, “Link your T-Mobile number to your Alexa speaker to connect to the people & places that matter most-with the same hands-free convenience you’ve come to expect from Alexa.”

    T-Mobile has put up a support page explaining how to set up Alexa to make calls. First, to link your T-Mobile account to Alexa you will need the following:

    • A T-Mobile account with a Voice line
    • A T-Mobile ID
    • An Amazon/Alexa account
    • Alexa Speakers
    • iOS 14 or Android 8.0 or newer smartphone to pair via Alexa app
    To link using the T-Mobile with Alexa skill, open the Alexa app on your phone and go to More > Settings > Communication. Under accounts, select T-Mobile and follow the directions on linking your T-Mobile account.
    To link using the settings in the Alexa app, follow these directions:
    1. Download and sign in to the Alexa app.
    2. Select More > Skills and Games.
    3. Select the Search icon in the top-left corner and enter “T-Mobile”, then select T-Mobile with Alexa.
    4. Select Enable Skill.
    5. On the T-Mobile login page, enter the phone number or email address and password you used to create your T-Mobile ID, then select Sign in. You will be prompted to verify your account via text message with a T-Mobile verification code.
    6. Once verified, select the line you’d like to use for calling on Alexa and confirm your address for 911 calls.

    To unlink your T-Mobile account from Alexa, open the Alexa app and go to More > Settings > Communications. Under accounts, go to T-Mobile > Disable Skill. Follow the directions.

    To make a phone call, Say, “Alexa, call [contact name or phone number]” When there is an incoming call, Alexa will ring and announce the call / caller ID. Say “Alexa, answer call” or “Alexa, decline”. To make an emergency call, Say, “Alexa, call 911.” Alexa will share your e911 address with the operator prior to the operator answering the phone call.
    When you’re home in a room where you have one of your Amazon Echo speakers or screens, using Alexa sure is a convenient way to make or take calls without having to reach for your phone.
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