The explosion of online gaming, sex scandals involving actors and singers online, the rise of ADSL subscriptions but a decline in quality, and the mobile phone market doubling yet continuously facing network congestion…
Disputes over connectivity between VNPT and Viettel, rampant spam and spyware… There were too many dark aspects concerning information technology (IT) and telecommunications (Telecom) in Vietnam during 2005.
Below is a list of the top 10 notable IT-Telecom events in 2005, as selected by Digital Life.
1. National Assembly Passed the Electronic Transactions Law and IT Law
The passage of the Electronic Transactions Law and IT Law by the National Assembly was a significant advancement for the IT sector. From now on, the legal value of electronic transactions, data messages, and electronic signatures used in electronic transactions has been guaranteed. These two new laws are expected to create a legal environment that promotes the use of electronic transactions, contributing to the effectiveness of socio-economic development, enhancing the application of science and technology, administrative reforms, economic integration, and ensuring security…
2. Explosion of Online Gaming
Although it had been initiated a year earlier, 2005 truly marked the surge of online gaming with major players like VinaGame, FPT, and VASC entering the market.
However, the side effects of this new trend began to emerge at a concerning rate. Skipping school and work to play online games, blending reality with the virtual world… gradually became commonplace, with some individuals nearly losing their lives due to excessive gaming.
3. Online Sex Scandals
The case of singer Nguyễn Hồng Nhung having intimate photos leaked by an ex-lover had barely cooled down when “adult” websites surged with steamy video clips of actress Yến Vy. This was soon followed by a series of other beauties appearing online in “suggestive” poses: Hồ Ngọc Hà, Bảo Hòa, Hà Kiều Anh…
Some individuals were victims of malicious revenge, but it is also possible that this was a self-promotion tactic by these beauties.
4. Rapid Growth of Mobile Phones and the “O E I” Chorus
In 2005, the market witnessed an explosion in mobile subscriptions with Viettel Mobile experiencing a dramatic growth. This mobile network achieved its target of 2 million subscribers just over a year after launching services. In response to the encroachment of this “younger sibling,” Vinaphone and MobiFone also developed their own strategies to regain and expand market share. As a result, compared to 2004, the number of new mobile subscriptions in 2005 doubled to 4.5 million.
However, this rapid growth also revealed inevitable consequences. The “O E I” chorus echoed continuously throughout the beginning and end of 2005.
5. ADSL: You Get What You Pay For
Alongside mobile phones, the number of ADSL broadband Internet subscribers also witnessed a sharp increase. While in 2004, there were only about 50,000 subscribers nationwide, by the end of 2005, this number had surpassed 200,000. This rapid growth was due to service providers adopting more flexible pricing policies to meet diverse needs.
However, similar to mobile phones, to capture market share, these companies drastically lowered prices, leading to an inability to maintain quality, ultimately acknowledging that “you get what you pay for.”
6. Viettel – VNPT Connectivity Dispute
The “hot” growth of Viettel was doused with cold water and cooled off in the middle of the year when calls from the 098 network to VNPT subscribers continuously faced congestion. Viettel claimed that the reason was due to “big brother” VNPT’s refusal to meet connectivity demands. VNPT, on the other hand, argued that their switchboard capacity was full, making it impossible to meet all of Viettel’s requests. The issue escalated to the point that it was described by the media as a “connectivity war,” and even the Ministry of Defense, Viettel’s governing body, had to send a formal letter seeking help from the Prime Minister.
This dispute once again highlighted the need to eliminate the irrationality of the monopoly mechanism in the postal and telecommunications sector.
7. Pilot Establishment of the Postal and Telecommunications Group
On March 23, 2005, the Government issued Decision No. 58/2005 approving the pilot project to form a postal and telecommunications group. With this decision, VNPT transitioned from a centralized management model under the “request-grant” mechanism to a parent-subsidiary model. This new model will empower VNPT member units to reduce dependence on the corporation to more effectively utilize financial resources and enhance competitiveness.
8. Rampant Spam and Spyware
Whereas spam was previously only known in foreign languages, 2005 witnessed the spread of Vietnamese spam along with frequent advertisements for selling email addresses on various classified websites. A specific example is the website VN-N.com, which specializes in spreading spyware to hijack users’ browser homepage.
9. Blogging Trend Takes Off
A few years ago, Vietnamese Internet users had heard of the blogging trend explosion in other countries, and by the end of 2005, blogging also surged in Vietnam. This trend quickly gained popularity due to Yahoo’s 360 service and a series of Vietnamese blogging support websites.
10. Hackers Become More Dangerous
2005 marked a significant change in the domestic hacking community. Previously, destructive activities were limited to domain hijacking of personal websites, denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, or virus dissemination. Now, hackers have targeted the databases of large enterprises, with the incident involving the data leak of MobiFone’s customer information being a prime example.
