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Colorful logos related to Valentine’s Day |
A heart, some sweet words, a pair of doves… have been fully utilized by mobile service providers for the “season of love.”
With the “electronic cricket,” people have been gifting each other roses, chocolates, and even digital “hearts” for Valentine’s Day.
Variety in forms…
While last year, value-added services (VAS) for mobile phones primarily consisted of ringtones and information retrieval, this year, these services have developed at a rapid pace.
Websites of service providers feature hearts, roses, animal images… integrated as interesting logos and symbols. On the website http://dalink.vietnamnet.vn, the “definitions” of love are maximally exploited by service providers in digital form. Meanwhile, www.nhacchuong.com.vn has replaced song logos with themes related to love.
Recently, the Dalink VAS Center, part of VASC Software and Communication Company, has developed a module for “self-creating network logos and image messages” for GSM mobile network customers in Vietnam. This module allows customers to freely design images and network logos using pixels and install them on their mobile devices, allowing for creative decoration of their phones.
…and the race behind
Currently, the market for value-added services through mobile phones is developing rapidly. According to statistics from the Ministry of Information and Communications, the market share for value-added services is becoming increasingly clear and distinct. Leading the market for mobile VAS is VASC with a 45% share, alongside Dalink, Alofun, Luckywin, and NetMode. Following closely are Quang Minh Dec, Shabox, and PM with a 40% market share. New companies like Mobicom and Bien Xanh are capturing about 15% of the market.
There are currently many VAS providers across different switchboards with varying prices, ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 VND. There are main number systems consisting of three digits, including 996, 997, 998, and four-digit systems starting with 8xxx. However, with the advantage of being short and easy to remember, the well-invested infrastructure, and the officially supported technical systems from VNPT, the service rates are reasonable, making the numbers 996, 997, and 998 the most sought after.
According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Bao, Deputy Director of Dalink Center, the annual number of SMS messages exceeds 1 trillion and contributes 90% of global revenue from non-voice services. With about 8 million GSM subscribers, the domestic market is vast for operators and VAS providers in mobile telecommunications.
NAM HUNG
