Seminar examines ways to strengthen IT industry

As Viet Nam aims to become an information technology powerhouse, IT enterprises gathered for a seminar in Ha Noi last week to discuss ways to build trademarks of international stature.

In the seminar, organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the newspaper Buu Dien (Postal Service), the ministry presented the details of a draft plan for 2015-20, introduced last year, under which Viet Nam would become one of the 70 leading countries worldwide for IT.

To reach that goal, it would develop public broadband infrastructure, hasten the application of IT in State agencies, perform outsourcing for multinational groups, prioritise the development of software products and made-in-Viet Nam digital content, establish stimulus funds for the IT industry, perfect a legal framework that supports the development of the industry, and nurture a highly-qualified contingent of 100,000 hardware and 30,000 software experts.

The ministry was also drafting a number of policies giving tax breaks and developing industrial parks for software companies.

The plan, under which the nation would mobilise US$8.5 billion over the period of 2010-20, was expected to help telecommunications and IT enterprises integrate into world markets and promote their trademarks.

At the seminar, enterprises that had seen success in building local and global trademarks shared their experiences.

Nguyen Quang Minh, director of An Binh Telecommunications Co – which owns the Q-Mobile trademark – urged the Government and ministry to issue policies to support IT enterprises to become prestigious Vietnamese trademarks.

“The Government needs to enhance trade promotion in markets around the world, and exempt high-quality foreign experts from income taxes in Viet Nam,” said Minh.

Domestic mobile phone products now accounted for about 28 per cent of the nation’s mobile phone market share, Minh added, noting that Q-Mobile was targeting the youth market and intended to upgrade its technology, 3G technology included,and Smart phones as the market for the current 2G devices had become saturated.

Nguyen Manh Hung, deputy director of the military-run mobile service provider Viettel, said that enterprises needed to study market demand to launch IT products, create a trademark and then take the time to develop it by creating confidence in their products, initially in the local market only, if necessary. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam IT, Vietnam IT industry