Removing telecommunications "bottlenecks"

After merging 3 provinces, Lam Dong is facing a great opportunity to break through in socio-economic development on the basis of regional connectivity. However, a worrying reality is that the "bottleneck" in telecommunications infrastructure in many areas is still slowing down the digital transformation process, significantly affecting trade, tourism and people's lives.

A telecommunications transmitting and receiving station on the vital National Highway 28. Photo: P. Sinh

If transportation is the physical bloodline of the economy , then telecommunications is the digital bloodline - where information, data, and connections flow. However, currently, in many areas, especially on the main routes of National Highways 28, 28B, 55... connecting the three centers of Phan Thiet - Da Lat - Gia Nghia, people, tourists, and officials when traveling through many mountain passes and forest areas still fall into a state of "lost signal", "isolated information" for many hours, when they cannot make calls, access the internet, use GPS or make online payments.

This not only causes inconvenience in life but also hinders production, business activities, tourism service operations and management and operation activities of local authorities. In the context of the whole country strongly transforming towards digital economy and digital society, the existence of such "white areas" and "digital depressions" is clearly a waste of development opportunities.

Recently, the Department of Science and Technology has conducted a comprehensive survey and plans to install 108 new BTS stations, which is a positive sign. Of these, 39 stations are located on mountain passes, 9 stations are located in extremely disadvantaged villages, and 60 stations are located in other low-frequency residential areas, showing serious participation in order to "cover the signal" throughout the province. The goal of ensuring that 100% of villages and hamlets have access to digital transformation is the right direction, meeting current development requirements.

Also on this issue, at a recent meeting, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Ngoc Phuc requested the Department of Science and Technology to continue to coordinate with telecommunications enterprises and localities to conduct surveys and measure telecommunications waves in the whole province, in which, pay special attention to coverage for villages and hamlets with weak waves, no waves, to advise the Provincial People's Committee to develop telecommunications infrastructure to serve areas with no waves, weak waves, and unstable waves...

However, in reality, the implementation process is still "blocked" in many places, due to difficulties in leasing land and installing BTS stations on public property; obstacles in pulling electricity through special-use forests; high investment costs for solar power but unstable efficiency. Meanwhile, the 2023 Telecommunications Law has come into effect, clearly regulating the right to access shared infrastructure, but still needs to be specified with a flexible mechanism, suitable to local practices.

It is impossible to talk about digital transformation, digital government or digital citizens when people still have to “climb mountains and cross streams” to find phone signals. Telecommunications infrastructure must be one step ahead, because it is the foundation for expanding online public administrative services, developing e-commerce, smart tourism, high-tech agriculture and digital education and healthcare, as the goals set by the Resolution of the Provincial Party Congress for the period 2025 - 2030.

Therefore, the urgent and drastic elimination of “troughs” and “white areas” is not only a technical problem, but also a strategic decision. Because only when “the waves are clear - the roads are clear - the hearts are clear”, can inter-regional value chains be formed, maximizing the potential of each region and each industry. This is also a prerequisite for people in mountainous, remote and isolated areas not to be left behind in the national digital transformation journey.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/thao-diem-nghen-vien-thong-397759.html