City authorities have asked owners of inner-city apartment buildings to develop infrastructure that can handle the roll-out of high-speed internet services provided by at least two companies.
The new rule, which takes effect immediately, means internet service providers can't lock rivals out of buildings that they have already cabled. As a result, internet providers in Hanoi will have a fairer playing field.
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Workers assemble steel reinforcing bars at a construction site in Hanoi March 2, 2011. Photo by Reuters/Kham
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Building owners, who often represent tens of thousands of apartments, allow broadband cable companies, like FPT Telecom, to install their equipment. However, once the installation is completed, there is no way for other providers can connect theirs because of, it is said, signal interference.
The new regulation, announced this week, reflects the city’s efforts to stop dominant telecom companies from cherry-picking high-value, high-rise apartment blocks, and creates a fairer environment for telecom services including cable television, mobile phones and internet.
