Telecom firms promise better international Internet connections

At a meeting on the same day between the Ministry of Information and Communications and telecom firms regarding issues with Vietnam’s subsea cables, Internet service providers said they would utilize different methods to open up more data flows on land.

They also agreed to share with one another data flows traveling outside of Vietnam to ensure that connections remain stable.

A representative of the information ministry said that during this particular period, providers should not compete with one another, but collaborate for mutual sustainable development. Those with spare data should share with those who don’t, and those who don’t have enough data should purchase more, the representative added.

Providers need to make sure that "customers’ actual data usage during peak hours must never exceed 90% of the international data amount that service providers can afford," the representative said.

"As multiple subsea cables encountered issues at the same time and affected Vietnam’s Internet connections, telecom firms must support each other during these trying times," said information minister Nguyen Manh Hung.

"If stagnation still happens following technical interventions, businesses with spare data would share their international Internet connections with businesses without enough data to ensure quality of service," he said, while also asking telecom firms to open up more Internet connection pathways on land.

Normally, Vietnam’s subsea cables have a total data amount at 18.7 Tbps. Sixty percent of the data is for actual operations, while 40% would be reserved as backup. But with four out of five subsea cables encountering issues currently, the amount of data available has been cut by 75%, forcing service providers to purchase an extra 3 Tbps.

This is the first time that all telecom firms in Vietnam have come together in such a large-scale coordinated effort to maintain stable international Internet connections. However, Vietnam is not alone, as the damaged cables have affected Internet connections in other Asian countries as well.

"Telecom firms need to prepare for situations where cables encounter issues, so there can be plans to ensure stable international Internet connections," said a representative of a steering committee for problem resolution.