The remote village happily 'welcomes the wave'.

QTO - In the last days of September 2025, the villages of Ploang and Rin Rin (Truong Son commune) were as joyful as a festival. Mobile phones rang happily in the familiar homes of the villagers, a stark contrast to the previous need to travel dozens of kilometers for a signal. People excitedly called their relatives to share the good news that their hometown now had electricity and phone service. This simple yet heartwarming joy spread quickly throughout the mountains and forests...

Nguyen Van Nhat (born in 2000), head of Ploang village, said that now it's very convenient to report urgent matters to the commune, as they no longer have to travel dozens of kilometers to "catch a signal." The commune can also easily summon the village head for meetings, so even though the distance from the village to the commune center is nearly 40 kilometers, the villagers no longer find it far. Villagers' children can now call their families daily for school and work, which gives them much more peace of mind, especially during natural disasters. "With phone signal, the village will progress much more, business will be easier, and connecting with the outside world will be simpler. The villagers are very happy!" Nhat said excitedly.

Born and raised in Truong Son commune, teacher Truong Thi Nhung (born in 1995) has dedicated her youth to the mountains and forests of her homeland and the children in remote villages like Nuoc Dang and Ploang. Nhung recounts that when she first arrived in Ploang, the village had roads but no electricity or phone signal. Nuoc Dang was even more challenging because it had no roads; access was only possible by following the Long Dai river, hence its nickname, the "three no's" village. This school year, Nhung was transferred to Rin Rin village. Then came great joy for her and the villagers when electricity, powered by a generator, and phone signal finally reached the village. "My hometown now has almost no more 'three no' villages!" Nhung excitedly shared. The combined kindergarten class in Rin Rin village, where Nhung and her colleagues teach, now faces many fewer worries.

Previously, whenever there was an urgent need to contact the main school or report on the students' situation, the teachers had to travel nearly 15 kilometers to the Khe Den Border Guard Station to make a phone call or ask the border guards to deliver the message. It was manageable during the dry season, but the journey became more arduous and dangerous during the rainy season.

"Now that we have signal, we can connect instantly just by turning on our phones. Classroom and school activities are running more smoothly. We don't have to worry too much about unexpected illnesses among the villagers or students anymore!" Ms. Nhung shared.

Healthcare services for the people of Ploang village are greatly facilitated by the availability of mobile phone signals and internet access - Photo: NM

With cell phone coverage, the small classrooms in the middle of the mountains suddenly feel closer to the outside world . Teachers can easily download instructional videos and new songs for children, instead of having to wait until the weekend to go to the Border Guard Station or the commune center. The homesickness of these teachers in remote villages is also lessened as a result.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Trung Dung, Political Officer of the Lang Mo Border Guard Post stationed in Truong Son commune, was equally pleased. He recounted that for many years, the Khe Den Border Guard Station has served as a communication hub between the commune and the villages in the area. When there is a need to communicate with the village elders, heads of hamlets, or other villagers, the commune will call the station, and the officers and soldiers will go to the villages to report the information, and vice versa.

But things are different now. Mobile phone signals have reached the villages of Ploang and Rin Rin, making it much easier and faster to gather information and direct task forces. Especially during natural disasters or when carrying out crime prevention and control tasks along the border, timely communication allows border guards to be more proactive in handling situations and to coordinate closely with village elders and leaders to ensure the safety of the people. "The phone only needs to ring once, and the village elders, leaders, task forces, and villagers all receive the information immediately. We feel more secure, and so do the people," Dũng shared.

Along with the villages of Ploang and Rin Rin in the mountainous Truong Son commune, 18 out of 20 villages in Thuong Trach commune, a still disadvantaged area, have now been covered by mobile phone service. According to Nguyen Truong Chinh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thuong Trach commune, only 13 villages in the commune had coverage by the beginning of 2025. Subsequently, the villages of Niu, Cu Ton, But, Cham Pu, and Troi officially gained coverage.

Mr. Chinh stated that the availability of mobile phone coverage in the villages, when the locality implemented the two-tiered local government model, was of great significance. Because the workload increased, the scope of management broadened, and the need for timely and accurate handling of tasks required the commune's officials to constantly keep up with information. "Previously, delivering information to the villages could take half a day, or even a whole day, leading to delays. Now, with coverage, all information reaches the village elders, heads of hamlets, and the people immediately, helping the government to operate more smoothly," Mr. Chinh said.

The joy of having mobile phone signal reach the village - Photo: Tien Thanh

Electricity and mobile phone coverage have not only changed the daily lives of the villagers but also greatly supported management and administration in the new model, from directing disaster prevention and control, resolving administrative procedures for the people, to coordinating with border guards, medical forces , or task forces. People working in the fields or forests can call immediately if they encounter any unforeseen circumstances; traders can contact them to purchase products more easily; and commune officials no longer have to travel to the villages every day to convey information. "With coverage, the commune works more efficiently, and the people feel more secure," Mr. Chinh affirmed.

To bring the signal to remote villages, Viettel Quang Tri has made efforts to build, install, and put into operation many BTS (Base Transceiver Station) stations, serving the communication needs of the people, while also supporting the leadership and management of Party committees, government at all levels, and armed forces in the area. Along with the difficult-to-reach villages that have been connected since the beginning of 2025, Viettel Quang Tri is currently continuing to survey and build more new BTS stations to expand coverage and ensure that particularly difficult-to-reach villages will be connected as soon as possible.

In the chilly days of the year-end, the villages of Ploang, Rin Rin, Niu, Cu Ton, Cham Pu… are warming up with renewed hope. Villagers are exchanging early New Year greetings and visiting relatives working far away; teachers stationed in remote villages are feeling less homesick; commune officials are managing their work more quickly and smoothly; and border guards feel more secure knowing that these remote villages now have access to mobile phone coverage.

Spring is just around the corner. And this spring, for the people of Truong Son and Thuong Trach communes, seems more vibrant than ever. The ringing of telephones is not only the sound of connection, but also a promise of a new journey, with change subtly permeating every home, every forest, every field, bringing a breath of fresh air to the remote villages deep in the mountains.

Ngoc Mai

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202601/ban-xa-vui-don-song-24d1d33/