2G off.jpg
Recently, network operators have supported the cost of 4G Only phones combined with conversion packages, and supported up to 100% of the cost of 4G phones. Photo: TK

On September 13, 2024, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung signed and issued Circular No. 10/2024/TT-BTTTT on "Suspension of the implementation of the provisions at Point a, Clause 2, Article 4 of Circular No. 03/2024/TT-BTTTT and Point a, Clause 2, Article 4 of Circular No. 04/2024/TT-BTTTT" (On stopping the provision of services for subscriber terminals that only support GSM standards for a period of 1 month (from September 16, 2024 to October 15, 2024)). The reason for temporarily suspending the 2G wave shutdown according to Circular No. 10 is to ensure information needs during the necessary time, enough for businesses and people to promptly overcome the damage of storm No. 3. This is a historic storm that has caused severe damage to network operators and affected customer communications.

According to statistics from the Department of Telecommunications, as of September 8, 2024, the number of subscribers of network operators is about 3.4 million 2G Only subscribers. Compared to July 2024, in more than 1 month, the number of 2G Only subscribers decreased by more than 5.3 million subscribers. However, as of October 10, 2024, there were only 771,072 2G Only subscribers before the 2G signal was turned off. It is expected that network operators will complete the 2G signal shutdown according to the roadmap. This is a very remarkable result, demonstrating the drastic direction of the Ministry of Information and Communications and the seriousness of mobile businesses, to implement the plan to stop 2G technology. Currently, in the "sprint" phase, network operators have been implementing solutions to convert the remaining 2G Only subscribers on the network, towards the goal of turning off 2G signals on October 15, 2024.

Recently, network operators have supported the cost of 4G Only phones combined with conversion packages, and supported up to 100% of the cost of 4G phones. Network operators have prepared a number of 4G phones to support compensation (100% funding support) for their 2G Only subscribers. Some mobile businesses have a policy of supporting giving away phones without registering for a package for poor households, near-poor households, subscribers in remote, isolated, and disadvantaged areas to convert to 4G phones.

In addition to communicating on mass media, network operators promote direct communication to customers, while increasing communication frequency, through the following forms: calling, SMS messaging, notification of call waiting music, playing IVR with calls, Call Bot about the business's conversion support programs and instructing customers to change phones.

Network operators carry out communication through the grassroots communication system (commune and ward loudspeakers) to provide information to each customer.

To effectively deploy to people in rural, remote and isolated areas, some mobile businesses also carry out conversion campaigns in all communes/wards, mobilizing all employees in the province/city to contact 2G customers at each subscriber's home.

Sharing about the issue of 2G shutdown, Mr. Do Thai Hoa, Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Ha Giang, said that in Ha Giang, the shutdown of 2G is still being implemented in accordance with the policy and roadmap of the Ministry of Information and Communications. Initially, localities and network operators also carried out propaganda for people in villages and markets, but people did not understand 2G and 4G technology, so they were not interested. Communicating about the issue of 2G shutdown so that ethnic minorities understand is a difficult problem. Another reason is that many people using 2G "brick" phones are often elderly people with difficult economic conditions, so they are not able to switch to 4G phones.

Therefore, network operators have had to create many visual propaganda methods to demonstrate to people, but not everyone has access. In addition, network operators have implemented a program to give 4G phones to people to speed up the process of turning off 2G waves.

“We have taken advantage of all communication channels, grassroots information systems, especially the smart loudspeaker system. Communication content on 2G shutdown was compiled in many ethnic languages ​​and broadcast to each village to suit the areas where ethnic people live, with different time frames depending on the people's lifestyle and work. In implementing 2G shutdown, the grassroots information system has been effective in communicating directly and simultaneously to each village according to a large campaign. Even during the recent storm No. 3, the grassroots information system helped people minimize damage, even helping some villages prevent dangerous flash floods,” said Mr. Hoa.