Although mobile internet usage has been slow to catch on in Vietnam, the popularity of digital media is set to surge in the next 12 months, according to a pre-release of data from Nielsen’s inaugural Southeast Asia Digital Consumer Report.
Although mobile internet usage has been slow to catch on in Vietnam, the popularity of digital media is set to surge in the next 12 months, according to a pre-release of data from Nielsen’s inaugural Southeast Asia Digital Consumer Report.
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The figures show that just two in five Vietnamese internet users (41%) have accessed the internet from a mobile phone, the lowest level in SEA.
However, the country has the strongest mobile internet adoption intent of any market in the region, with three quarters of Vietnamese consumers intending to use mobile internet in the next 12 months.
And while only 21% of Vietnamese consumers currently own a mobile with internet capability, close to half (46%) will look to purchase a smart phone in the next 12 months.
“One of the significant advantages in this market is that Vietnam is not faced with the legacy technology issues encountered in most western and developed nations. While they represent a relatively small base compared to other countries, Vietnamese consumers have already been adopting some of the latest smart phones and many plan on buying them in the future,” Darin Williams, managing director of Nielsen Vietnam, said.
According to Williams, for this trend to continue, however, a number of issues need to be resolved because mobile infrastructure still needs to be developed, and service providers need to focus on a smoother customer experience.
Most importantly, prices need to come down for the majority of consumers to be able to adopt and use mobile internet.
Nielsen cited that when Vietnamese surf on the internet, figures show that social networking enjoys strong popularity and the vast majority of Vietnamese internet users (96%) have visited a social networking site.
Vietnamese netizens are the most likely in Southeast Asia to engage with companies via social media, with almost four in five (79%) having ‘liked’ or followed a brand, company or celebrity, 10 points higher than the region’s average of 69%.
Vietnam has VinaPhone, MobiFone, Viettel, Vietnamobile, S-Fone and EVN Telecom providing mobile internet service after the 3G network launched in the country in August 2009.
Now, telecom providers say mobile internet plays an important role among 3G services. Viettel Telecom said that mobile internet accounts for 60% of its 3G service turnover since it launched 3G in March 2010.
Nguyen Anh Duc, vice director of Viettel Telecom in HCMC, told the Daily that mobile internet is a major service in the 3G subscriber attraction race because it helps people access the internet at anytime, anywhere. It will be an important element which will decide if 3G services are successful or not.
To attract 3G subscribers, Viettel covers 3G services around the country with 18,000 3G base transceiver stations and has at least 18 3G added value services. Viettel has nearly 5 million mobile internet users. Like Viettel, the other major telecom providers like VinaPhone are trying to promote their mobile internet service.
Now, VinaPhone has 7,000 3G base transceiver stations and 2 million mobile internet users and nearly 7 million 3G subscribers. The 3G services account for 13% of VinaPhone’s turnover.
Source: SGT
