More than 1.85 million prepaid mobile subscribers were deactivated in the first six months of the year as they were improperly registered, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC).

More than 1.85 million prepaid mobile subscribers
were deactivated in the first six months of the year.

As “waste” SIMs and pre-activated SIMs are still available in the market, the ministry has penalised four network service providers, namely Viettel, Vinaphone, MobiFone and Vietnamobile for violating management of subscribers’ information.

It already issued documents to rectify the network providers on the purchase of unregistered or improperly registered SIM, which poses great risks of social disorder and stability. Accordingly, they are ordered to end services with any subscribers who they cannot define identity.

By the end of June, Vietnam has 134.5 million 3G and 4G users, up 9.3 percent from the same time last year. 

The MIC has licensed three firms to pilot 5G services, and the telecom giant Viettel and Sweden’s Ericsson Group successfully conducted the first call using 5G technology in Vietnam.

Besides, the ministry asked telecommunications enterprises to remove bottlenecks, work transparently when switching from one mobile network operator to another, and strictly implement regulations on discount programmes.