Breaking into Asian markets. Michael Blot, our specialist and ASEAN Zone Manager, explains the potential of this part of the world. As everyone already knows, Vietnam, like many of its neighbors, is growing fast. With more than 140 million mobile phone users, it is aiming to become a leading power in new technologies. And telecommunications are at the forefront of this move to modernize that is being driven by the government. The country will step up from 3G to 4G in 2018 and plans to invest $5.3 billion between 2016 and 2020.

The market has shifted from major investments in infrastructures to investments in value-added services, of which ITD, with its ClickOnSite solution, is a part,” explains Michael Blot. “Vietnam is currently looking for solutions with a high potential for innovation, in particular in readiness for the move to 4G and to optimize network coverage in the country.

While telephone network coverage is already good in Vietnam’s major cities, the efforts in the future will concentrate on upping network coverage in rural areas. “This demands new infrastructures in the countryside,” 

adds Michael.

 “We are already in advanced discussions with one of the country’s leading operators. ClickOnSite will allow them to manage the deployment and control of their radio and transmission sites more easily. Today, major operators cannot afford to work with home-made tools, sometimes no more than Excel files, to manage projects on such as scale.

ITD has a role to play in the development of telecommunications in Vietnam, and in the neighboring countries, which are facing similar issues.

I am making the most of our strategic presence in Ho Chi Minh City to look into the different possibilities and to meet telecommunications operators from developing countries in the ASEAN zone, like Myanmar and Cambodia. I am in the process of setting up a team on the spot, which will include consultants and developers so that our product is perfectly adapted to this part of the world, and so that we can react quickly to the demands of our future customers.

We wish the best of luck and success to ITD’s ASEAN team.