VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Information and Communication’s (MIC) decision to change telephone area codes twice within six years shows an ineffective use of the national telecom number repository and a lack of long-term planning.

Businesses have been complaining about the planned changes in the telephone area codes, saying they would cost them a lot of money.

Under a new decision by the Ministry of Information and Communication, the telephone area codes of 59 of the country’s 63 provinces and cities (under central government) would be changed.

Meanwhile, the 11-numeral mobile subscription numbers will be replaced by 10-digit numbers.

Nam, a retailer in Hanoi, said he has underdone two changes in the six years of his business.

“The first happened in 2008, just days after my business was set up,” he said. “I had to spend hundreds of millions of dong to re-print the company’s telephone numbers on gifts and product packaging. All the products with old telephone numbers were thrown away.”

However, Nam said he does not intend to spend much money this time, because his company, like other businesses in the recession, faces many problems.

“I will only have important documents reprinted, and I will still use the old name cards, ad leaflets and brochures,” he said.

Nguyen Hong Minh, CEO of Nguyen Minh Taxi, noted that taxi firms would suffer the most.

“We will have to have signboards, service fee quotation boards and outdoors billboards remade. We will also have to re-print invoices and new-year calendars. It is estimated to cost VND400 million,” he said.

MIC’s Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang said the ministry has found a solution that would minimize the damages caused by the changes. However, this has still not satisfied the public.

Vu Quang Vinh, general director of FA Joint Stock Company, noted that the regular changes in in code areas show the Ministry's lack of long-term vision when programming the use of the telecom number repository.

MIC, which did not foresee the rapid increase in the number of mobile subscribers, initially reserved two-number prefixes for mobile phone subscribers, while reserving seven for fixed line subscribers, who are now on the decline.

“Policy makers need to draw long term development strategies, not strategies which change several times within several years,” he said.

Commenting that MIC “changes its mind at the drop of a hat”, Lawyer Hue Linh said the changes would only benefit management agencies and some interest groups.

Meanwhile, consumers will suffer heavily from unstable policies, while service providers will not compensate them for damages.

K. Chi