VietNamNet Bridge – ADSL has become too old after 10 years of existing. Experts believe that it would be replaced by the latest technologies such as cable-TV Internet, 3G mobile broadband of FTTH (fiber to the home).

Users getting tired of ADSL

ADSL first turned up in Vietnam in 2003, which was followed by a hot development period with the 100 percent year-on-year growth rate. However, the growth rate has not been satisfactory in recent two years, which shows the signs of a regression period.

Meanwhile, the latest technologies have shown their outstanding advantages over ADSL. 3G mobile broadband technology, for example, has outstanding features in terms of the coverage and investment rate if compared with ADSL.

The investment rate for a broadband mobile subscriber is about $50 only, while the rate is $150-200 for an ADSL subscriber.

With such a high investment rate, telecom groups, except VNPT, would not have adequate capital and strong infrastructure enough to obtain the large coverage throughout the country.

Meanwhile, with 3G or the cable TV transmission network, it would be cheaper and easier to obtain the nationwide coverage.

In the past, with the advantage of high-speed bandwidth, the ADSL technology drove the dial-up technology to death. And now, it is the time for ADSL to end its days to give place to more advanced technologies.

The experts attending the dialogue on the future of the Internet economy on December 4, 2013, all said that the ADSL service quality is low and unstable currently. They believe that ADSL won’t be able to satisfy users in the future, when the demand for Internet content and Internet service quality increase.

Cable TV-based Internet would be a new choice

Users need a technology and Internet product which are much better than ADSL. And the answer is fiber optic Internet.

However, experts believe that fiber optic Internet might not be the right solution for now because of its overly high expenses. The monthly subscription fee of VND1 million is unaffordable to the majority of families.

The alternative solution for now is the Internet services on the platform of cable TV. While the technology has been utilized for a long time in the world, it remains unfamiliar in Vietnam and only turned up not a long time ago when televisions and telcos joined hands in cooperation projects.

The biggest advantage of the technology is the high speed, 5-10 times higher than ADSL. VTVnet, for example, offers the maximum upload/download speed at 40 Mbps, the figures unreachable by ADSL subscribers.

Cable TV-based Internet uses DOCSIS 3.0 technology, which has outstanding features. Users can both watch TV and access Internet at the same time on the same cable. The transmission is stable thank to the network combining fiber optic and coaxial cable.

With the outstanding features, the technology can well serve the interactive data services, including distance training, video watching, teleconference…

Especially, the TV cable-based Internet services are really very competitive if compared with ADSL.

A senior executive of CMC Telecom said that the services do not aim to compete directly with ADSL. These just bring to customers a new choice for their Internet use, when the coverage of cable TV in big cities is even larger than telephone fixed line

Buu Dien