The study Competitiveness and the Impact of Trade Liberalization in Viet Nam: the Case of Telecommunications was conducted in 2004 and 2005, in the framework of the project “Capacity Strengthening to Manage and Promote Trade in Services in Viet Nam in the Context of Integration” (or “Trade in Services” Project - VIE/02/009), which is currently being funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and implemented by the Department of Trade and Services of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).  

This report presents an overview of the telecommunications sector in Viet Nam, including the legal and regulatory framework for telecoms networks and basic and value added services; provides a detailed analysis of the competitiveness of Viet Nam’s telecommunications services in the context of recent global sector reform developments; and analyzes the impact of the liberalization of this sector in Viet Nam from three different angles: impact on the sector itself, on the economy and on final consumers. The report also addresses in detail the weaknesses of telecommunication services in Viet Nam; identifies strengths, opportunities and threats for the sector in light of the country’s current liberalization commitments; and presents some policy recommendations for the government, as well as suggestions for other actors in this sector.