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Vietnam expects to be among the top 50 countries in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Development Index by 2025 and top 30 in the Digital Infrastructure Development Index by 2030.
These targets are set in the draft national digital infrastructure strategy through 2025, with an orientation toward 2030, recently released by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MOIC).
The draft focuses on four main sectors: broadband telecom infrastructure; data center and cloud computing infrastructure, digital technology infrastructure; and digital infrastructure platforms.
With regard to broadband telecoms infrastructure, the draft proposes replacing Vinasat 1 and Vinasat 2 satellites and building six-ten new international fiber-optic cables, including four-six submarine cables and two-four terrestrial cables. By 2030, all households would have access to gigabit Internet services and 100 percent of the population would be covered with 5G telecoms services.
As for data center and cloud computing infrastructure, at least two national data centers, three national multi-purposed data center clusters, and six regional multi-purposed data center clusters would be built. The country would strive to develop digital hubs to provide services to overseas customers. By 2030, Vietnam would be ranked among the top 30 data center/cloud computing service providers in the world.
Regarding digital technology infrastructure, the draft sets the target of developing ten digital technology infrastructure enterprises, prioritizing AI, blockchain, and IoT technologies, and strengthening the management of intellectual property rights, patents, trademarks, and digital technology copyrights of high value.
With the aim of meeting the requirements of the digital government, digital economy, and digital society, the country expects to build eight national digital infrastructure platforms, including the national electronic identification and authentication platform, national digital address platform, national digital map platform, national data sharing and integration platform, national radio and television platform, national e-payment platform, national e-invoice platform, and national e-certificate platform.
In order to achieve such targets, the MOIC proposes revising the Law on Telecommunications and its guiding texts. In addition, a law governing the digital technology industry would be formulated with a view to creating regulatory sandboxes for the testing and application of new technologies and the development of infrastructure for new technology platforms.
The draft also underlines the necessity to improve policies and formulate and adjust sectoral, regional, and provincial master plans along the direction of prioritizing and creating conditions for the development of broadband infrastructure and building of data storage centers, Internet exchange points, and cable landing stations, etc. Worthy of note, the draft switches the green light for building of digital infrastructure facilities on public land in sync with the electricity infrastructure system.
Funds for the development of digital technologies would be allocated from the sources of funds for science and technology tasks. Meanwhile, funds from national product development programs would be used for the development of digital technology products, digital services, digital infrastructure development solutions, and digital infrastructure technology research, development, and transfer tasks. In addition, the State would support and attract non-state enterprises to invest in digital infrastructure.
National technical standards and regulations on broadband service quality would be improved on a par with those of developed countries; meanwhile, national technical regulations on the application of digital technology in the field of health, education, industry, agriculture, transport, energy, power, water, and smart urban cities would be developed, according to the draft.
By: Vietnam Laws & Legal Forum
