Enhancements and Challenges in Vietnam’s Telecommunications

The growth of Vietnam’s telecommunications and IT sectors has greatly aided the country’s economic progress, governance, national security, and overall enhancement of public life standards.

Despite these advancements, there are emerging issues, particularly the increasing sophistication of cybercrime, which poses a significant threat to citizens.

Although law enforcement has taken steps to combat cyber fraud and promote online safety, many individuals and organizations lack the necessary caution and awareness, rendering them susceptible to scams.

Recently, scammers have adopted tactics that involve impersonating official government or legal entities to deceive citizens into giving away personal information or assets.

During a session of the National Assembly on May 23, 2024, in response to concerns raised by deputies and constituents regarding these issues, Minister of Information and Communications, Nguyen Manh Hung, addressed this problem by stating, “Online scammers often impersonate government agencies.”

To counter this, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has instructed telecom companies to adopt technology that displays the names of government agencies calling subscribers on their mobile devices or screen-equipped landlines.

Citizens receiving calls on devices without screens are encouraged to verify the call by requesting a callback on a mobile number to confirm its authenticity.

Following Minister Hung’s initiative, the Department of Telecommunications has worked with telecom providers to establish Voice Brandname caller ID for government numbers used by ministries and agencies.

As a result, there are currently 732 mobile numbers designated for official communications with organizations, businesses, and the general public.

This means that subscribers of major telecom operators like Viettel, Vinaphone, Mobifone, GtelMobile, and virtual networks such as Itel, Mobicast, Local, VNSky, and FPT will see the official name of the caller for these specific government numbers instead of just a phone number.

Calls from numbers starting with the digits 03, 05, 07, 08, or 09 that claim to be from government agencies should be treated with skepticism; citizens are urged to stay alert to prevent falling victim to these scams.

The Ministry is also working on ensuring caller ID functionality for landlines registered to government entities. However, this process involves upgrading older technologies and enhancing infrastructure, which may lead to varying timelines based on each agency’s resources and requirements.

Telecom companies will need to cooperate with government agencies, creating tailored solutions and adhering to necessary legal processes to facilitate this upgrade.

The MIC has also pointed out that current landline devices and mobile phones using the Vietnamobile network do not support this identification feature.