Regulations on Investment in Telecommunications Services in Vietnam

The field of telecommunications has appeared in Vietnam for more than 30 years and has helped the business environment and social life of Vietnam to develop. Our telecommunication lawyers in Vietnam shared opinions on the investment in telecom and related services and their restrictions.

The process of liberalizing the telecommunications sector in Vietnam has led to the expansion of the telecommunications network and has become an attractive field for investors to set up company in telecom service, internet service, or join with Vietnamese partner on business cooperation contract in the same fields.  

Currently, telecommunications services are not just telephones and telex, but vary with many types from simple to complex such as audio, video, data transmission services,… Besides the conveniences brought in life, telecommunications services have really become one of the important infrastructures of the economy. However, Vietnam government also impose certain requirements on foreign investors entering Vietnam in this sector.

Forms of investment in telecommunication sector

Specifically, at present, foreign investors can only participate in investments in the form of joint ventures or business cooperation contracts with Vietnamese enterprises to provide telecommunications services.

Conditions to provide telecommunication services in Vietnam

However, for the provision of services with network infrastructure, the partner in which the investor joins the joint venture must be a licensed telecommunications service provider in Vietnam. In addition, foreign investors are also limited on the percentage of charter capital in joint ventures. Accordingly, for services without network infrastructure, foreign investors own not more than 65% of charter capital and for services with network infrastructure, foreign investors do not own more than 49% legal capital of the joint venture.

On the other hand, foreign investors participating in business cooperation contracts will be able to sign a new agreement or switch to another form of presence with conditions no less favorable than those they are currently receiving. Furthermore, an organization or individual that already owns more than 20% of the charter capital or shares in a telecommunications enterprise may not own more than 20% of the charter capital or shares of another telecommunications enterprise doing business in the same company a market for telecommunications services.

Therefore, if the investor meets the above conditions, the investor will carry out the procedures for establishing an economic organization. Like other foreign-invested organizations, the establishment will go through two stages: investment registration and business establishment. For foreign investment projects in the business of telecommunications services, it is necessary to receive the investment approval of the Prime Minister.

Procedures to invest in telecommunication services in Vietnam

Accordingly, the investor submits the application for approval of the investment policy of the investment project to the investment registration agency and within 03 working days from the date of receipt of the complete dossier, the investment registration agency submit the application for appraisal opinions of the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Within 15 days from the date of receipt of the dossier, the Ministry of Information and Communications shall give its appraisal opinions on the extent under its state management and send it to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Within 40 days from the day on which the application is received, the investment registration agency shall organize the appraisal of the dossier and make an appraisal report and submit it to the Prime Minister for approval of the investment policy. After receiving the approval of the investment policy, the investor proceeds to establish the business as domestic entities.

How telecommunication lawyers in Vietnam could help?

The telecommunication services are subject to strong regulations hence the conditions for foreign investors to invest and set up company in telecommunication services or take part in providing telecommunication services are also relatively complicated. Therefore, investors are suggested to undertake research on telecommunication regulatory specific to their business with the help of telecommunication lawyers in Vietnam to make the investment effectively.

About ANT Lawyers, a law firm in Vietnam

ANT Lawyers, a law firm in Vietnam always follow up the regulations on investment in telecommunications services in Vietnam to update clients on regular basis.

We help clients overcome cultural barriers and achieve their strategic and financial outcomes, while ensuring the best interest rate protection, risk mitigation and regulatory compliance. ANT lawyers has lawyers in Ho Chi Minh city, Hanoi,  and Danang, and will help customers in doing business in Vietnam.