Vietnam's telecommunications journey connecting with the world began with the cooperation between Australia's Overseas Telecommunications Commission (OTC) (later Telstra) and the General Department of Vietnam Post (GDPT), later inherited by VNPT. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the first Business Cooperation Agreement signed by OTC and GDPT in 1988.
Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski called Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia Nguyen Tat Thanh to recreate the first call from Vietnam to Australia.
This partnership has truly created a turning point in connecting Vietnam with the international community and has contributed to building a solid foundation for the bilateral relationship that our two countries have today, said Ambassador Goledzinowski.
According to the Ambassador, telecommunications cooperation has greatly supported Vietnam in the process of realizing the benefits of the Doi Moi process and helping to create a favorable environment for business and investment activities in Vietnam.
"On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam this year, we are focusing on the next phase of cooperation to turn the opportunities of the digital revolution into reality. I would like to congratulate all individuals who have contributed to creating a good foundation for this cooperation and thank you for your contributions to the friendship between our two countries, said the Ambassador.
The OTC installed Vietnam's first Vista satellite ground station in Ho Chi Minh City in 1987, connecting to Australia. This allows the simultaneous performance of up to 5 international calls, improving quality and capacity compared to the limited radio links at that time.
Additional and larger satellite ground stations were first installed in Hanoi, then covered the whole country, and International Telecommunication Centers were also established in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
In early 1989, Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans AO visited Hanoi and made the first call via a new satellite transmission line from Hanoi to his colleague, Acting Minister for Telecommunications Bob Brown in Australia. Next, OTC installed new, larger satellite receiving stations in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, helping to significantly increase capacity and services provided via the INTELSAT network.
Throughout the 1990s, with technological innovations, the cooperative relationship has had many important milestones.
The first Internet connection device was brought to Vietnam by Australian National University Professor Rob Hurle in 1991.
Australia also participated in Vietnam's first underground cable project located in Vung Tau in 1999. This cable line allows the simultaneous performance of 15,000 international calls, along with international high-speed video and data services.
The second underground cable line was installed in 2000 in Da Nang and is still in operation.
In addition to infrastructure, the partnership also focuses on developing human resources. OTC/Telstra has supported training programs for more than 3,000 technicians, engineers, financial managers and marketers in the telecommunications industry in Vietnam.
