Opening a cable route on the mainland, businesses commit to Internet without congestion

The Ministry of Information and Communications establishes a Steering Committee to overcome the problem of undersea fiber optic cables

On the afternoon of February 9, 2023, Ministry of Information and Communications held a meeting with telecommunications businesses to handle the breakdown of undersea fiber optic cables, ensuring the connection of Vietnam to international.

Specifically, in February 2022 and June 2022, the AAG cable had problems in both directions connecting to Singapore and Hong Kong (China), respectively. With Singapore cable direction, AAG had problems on branches S1B, S1D and power failure at TungKu (Brunei) and Sriracha (Thailand) landing stations; In the direction of connecting Hong Kong, AAG is faulty on the branch S1H entering Vietnam and S1I entering Hong Kong (China). Of these faults, there was a problem on the S1H branch and the source fault at the TungKu (Brunei) landing station has been resolved.

Then, on November 24, 2022, the AAE-1 cable route had a problem on the S1H.1 branch connecting to Hong Kong (about 3.21km from the Hong Kong landing station). The incident lost all international connection capacity from Vietnam to Hong Kong on the AAE-1 cable route.

On December 11, 2022, the AAG cable route continued to have a problem on the S1I branch connecting to Hong Kong (the fault location is about 149km from the Hong Kong landing station). With the APG route, on December 26, 2022 and January 21, 2023, respectively (ie 30 New Year), the APG cable route had problems on the S6 branches connecting to Hong Kong (the fault location was far from the station landing on the shore). Hong Kong is about 126km) and S9 connects to Singapore (about 149km from the Singapore landing station). These two problems cause the loss of all capacity on the APG cable.

On January 28, 2023, there continued to be an incident on the IA submarine cable route. The cause was determined to be a cable break at a location about 130km from the Singapore landing station of the cable line. The consequence is the loss of all international connection capacity from Vietnam to Singapore of the Lien Asia (IA) cable line.

With 4 undersea cable lines having problems as above, this is the first time that telecommunications businesses in Vietnam have to face rescue when the largest number of undersea cable lines has problems. Of these 4 routes, 2 routes AAG and APG lost all capacity, and 2 routes IA and AAE-1 are still partially operational. At the moment, the SMW-3 route to Hong Kong and Singapore still ensures 100% connectivity; The AAE-1 route to Singapore is 100% guaranteed and the IA route to Hong Kong is 100% guaranteed.

Immediately after the incident, the Ministry of Information and Communications established a Steering Committee to overcome the incident and develop a national plan on undersea optical cables led by Deputy Minister Pham Duc Long as the head of the Steering Committee.

At a meeting with telecommunications businesses to handle this issue, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized the need to ensure that Vietnam’s international connection to the Internet not only ensures the quality of services provided to users but also helps Internet economic activities to be connected smoothly.

According to the report, all Vietnamese telecommunications businesses were affected by the incident. Not only Vietnam but also countries in Asia are affected.

Minister Nguyen Manh Hung has asked telecommunications businesses to open more connections on the mainland and apply technical measures to ensure international connections. Specifically, the operator must ensure that the actual usage capacity of customers during peak hours will always be at no more than 90% of the international capacity that the operator can meet to avoid congestion. In addition, the incident handling steering committee and telecommunications businesses need to prepare for the situation that undersea cables may have further problems to have a plan to ensure Vietnam’s international connection.

Minister Nguyen Manh Hung has assigned the Department of Telecommunications to work with telecommunications businesses to develop a plan on Vietnam’s undersea fiber optic cable routes, and to accelerate more international connections to undersea fiber optic cables to ensure the leading role. As a leader and owner of Vietnam, in any plan (with or without the participation of foreign partners), Vietnamese enterprises must hold the leading position, represent investment groups, joint ventures to build build a new line. Thus, by 2025, Vietnam will have at least 10 international undersea cable routes.

“In difficulties, the Ministry of Information and Communications will play the role of leading businesses and jointly solving problems connecting undersea fiber optic cables to international destinations. When undersea fiber optic cables connecting to Hong Kong and Singapore face many difficulties, we see an opportunity for Vietnam to become a hub for international connections. Currently, when technology and capacity increase sharply, it is also an opportunity for Vietnam to open new undersea fiber optic cable routes.Minister Nguyen Manh Hung said.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Duc Long emphasized that it is necessary to open more undersea fiber optic cables with many different connection directions, jointly built by Vietnamese enterprises, and deploying specific plans to meet development needs, ensure Vietnam Internet connection to go internationally.

Telecommunications enterprises commit that the Internet to go internationally will not be congested

At this meeting, Mr. Nguyen Nam Long, Deputy General Director of VNPT, said that VNPT connects international undersea cables in 3 ways to Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. After the incident happened, VNPT worked with partners to open more connection channels on land. Under the direction of the Ministry of Information and Communications, VNPT is continuing to expand international capacity on the mainland, deploying more optimal measures to ensure international connectivity for customers. Mr. Nguyen Nam Long agreed that, when the direction of Hong Kong and Singapore is difficult, it is an opportunity for Vietnam to become an international connection hub. VNPT is committed to joining telecommunications businesses to build more Vietnam’s undersea fiber optic cable routes to the world.

Also at this meeting, a representative of Viettel said that Viettel has 4 undersea fiber optic cables connecting to the main hubs: Hong Kong, Singapore, the US and Europe. When the incident happened, Viettel still had a sea cable connecting to Singapore and Hong Kong. Viettel also quickly opened more connection channels on land to ensure international connection capacity to serve customers. Up to this point, Viettel has ensured enough capacity for international connections even though all four undersea cable lines have problems.

Represent MobiFone and FPT said that it has applied technical measures to ensure the capacity of international connections. These two enterprises confirmed that together with the Ministry of Information and Communications and telecommunications businesses to develop the plan of undersea fiber optic cable as well as invest in undersea fiber optic cables deployed by Vietnam. MobiFone and FPT also agree with the plan to increase more fiber optic lines on the mainland for businesses to do as backup.

With technical solutions and increasing the capacity of fiber optic lines on the mainland, telecommunications businesses insist that they will ensure the quality of Internet services for customers. However, large affected businesses may need to share the capacity of other units.

“When many undersea fiber optic cables have problems at the same time, affecting Vietnam’s Internet connection, telecommunications businesses must support each other during this difficult time. If, after applying technical measures, there is still congestion, businesses that still have capacity will share international connections for businesses that lack to ensure service quality.Directed by Minister Nguyen Manh Hung.

Starting tonight, February 10, telecommunications businesses are committed to ensuring that international Internet connections are not congested.