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Industry: Fractured Telecom Cables Cause Communication Loss for Vietnam(Vietnam News Briefs Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) from the VIETNAM NEWS BRIEFS, May 29, 2007 The Southeast Asian country's international communication system is facing difficulty, as operation of one of two international undersea optical cable lines has been interrupted by local fishermen's cable theft, according to the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) Bui Thien Minh, deputy general director of VNPT said Vietnam's outbound communications depend on two undersea optical cable lines, TVH and SMW3, transmitting up to 83% of information, with much less transmitted via mainland cable lines CSC, VNPT-China Unicom, HCMC-Phnom Penh and Intelsat satellite system. For that reason, a series of transmission interruptions have been reported recently, allegedly caused by 98 kilometers of the TVH cable line being cut by local fishermen. According to the VNPT official, it will take at least three months to repair the damage at cost of appropriately $2.6 million. Moreover, the repair work will be extremely difficult because there are only three special cable ships for the entire Indian and Pacific Ocean regions. Minh also said if the SMW3 cable line, which is currently covering international communications for both lines, is also stolen, only essential state and party offices will have international contact, while civilians would be isolated. The theft is an illegal act and seriously threatens the nation's information security, Post and Telecom Minister Do Trung Ta said, adding that it is very difficult to prevent destruction of the remaining line unless there are stricter measures from authorities Deputy PM Nguyen Sinh Hung, May 21, on behalf of PM, offered instructions to relevant ministries and taskforces on the matter. The marine police immediately detained three fishing boats carrying about 100 tons of illegal optical cables offshore Ba Ria-Vung Tau. In related news, Vietnam aims to improve communication capacity through Vinasat telecom satellites. However, undersea cable systems are still considered the most effective means of transmission, Minh said. The ministry has kicked off construction of a new undersea cable line linking Vietnam to Southeast Asian nations and to the US, and expects to put it into operation in October 2008 To avoid further disruptions, authorities need to educate and raise the awareness of local people on national telecom system protection. (Pioneer May 28 p4, New Hanoi Evening p7) Copyright 2007 Vietnam News Briefs Copyright 2007 Toan Viet Ltd, Source: The Financial Times Limited |