Circular No. 14/2013/TT-BTTTT guides the establishment, approval, and implementation of passive telecommunications infrastructure planning at local levels.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for the preparation, approval, and implementation

of local passive telecommunications infrastructure planning

Pursuant to the Law on Telecommunications dated November 23, 2009;

Pursuant to the Construction Law dated November 26, 2003;

Pursuant to the Urban Planning Law on June 17, 2009;

Pursuant to Decree No. 25/2011/NĐ-CP dated April 6, 2011, issued by the Government, detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Telecommunications;

Pursuant to Decree No. 92/2006/NĐ-CP dated September 7, 2006 of the Government on the preparation, approval, and management of overall socio-economic development planning, and Decree No. 04/2008/NĐ-CP dated January 11, 2008 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 92/2006/NĐ-CP dated September 7, 2006 of the Government on the preparation, approval, and management of overall socio-economic development planning;

Pursuant to Decree No. 72/2012/NĐ-CP dated September 24, 2012 of the Government on management and shared use of technical infrastructure works;

Pursuant to Decree No. 39/2010/NĐ-CP dated April 7, 2010 of the Government on Underground Space Construction Management;

Pursuant to Decree No. 187/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 25, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications, and Decree No. 50/2011/NĐ-CP dated June 24, 2011 of the Government amending Decree No. 187/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 25, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

At the proposal of the Director of the Telecommunications Administration,

The Minister of Information and Communications issues this Circular guiding the preparation, approval, and implementation of local passive telecommunications infrastructure planning.

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular guides the preparation and approval and implementation of local passive telecommunications infrastructure planning for important telecommunications works related to national security, public telecommunications service provision points, and peripheral networks.

In addition to the above contents, based on actual conditions in the locality and in accordance with current laws, this planning may include other relevant contents concerning local passive telecommunications infrastructure.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in the preparation, approval, issuance, and implementation of local passive telecommunications infrastructure planning.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Localities are provinces and centrally governed cities.

2. Important telecommunications works related to national security are telecommunications works that have characteristics, features, and scale consistent with the criteria for determining important telecommunications works related to national security as issued by Decision No. 45/2012/QĐ-TTg dated October 23, 2012 of the Prime Minister.

3. Public telecommunications service provision point is a location where terminal telecommunications equipment and related facilities are installed and managed directly by telecommunications enterprises to provide telecommunications services to users, including: public telecommunications service provision points with attendant service (hereinafter referred to as type D1 public telecommunications service provision points) and public telecommunications service provision points without attendant service (hereinafter referred to as type D2 public telecommunications service provision points).

4. Peripheral network is a part of the telecommunications network, including cable systems, antenna systems, and other telecommunications equipment systems located outside telecommunications stations and buildings.

5. Passive telecommunications infrastructure includes telecommunications stations, antenna towers, cable suspension poles, underground infrastructure construction works (sewer, reservoir, trench, and technical pipelines, etc.) constructed by agencies, organizations, or enterprises holding telecommunications licenses, frequency rental permits, or self-built to install telecommunications equipment.

6. Telecommunications station is a building or similar construction used to install network equipment.

7. Antenna tower is a pole built to install radio wave receiving and transmitting antennas (excluding household radio and television antennas).

8. Non-obtrusive antenna tower (hereinafter referred to as type A1 antenna tower) is an antenna tower installed within and on buildings without altering the architectural design, load-bearing structure, or safety of the building, including:

a) Self-standing antenna tower installed on buildings with a height (including the antenna but excluding lightning rods) not exceeding 20% of the building's height but not more than 3 meters, and a width from the center of the pole to the outermost point of the antenna tower structure (including armrests and antennas) not exceeding 0.5 meters (hereinafter referred to as type A1a antenna tower);

b) Environmentally friendly antenna tower is an antenna tower designed and installed hidden within the architectural design of existing buildings, mimicking railings, awnings, domes, door sills, air conditioner shells, water tanks, clock towers, sculptures, etc., or installed discreetly on power poles, street lights, or under appropriate camouflage forms matching the surrounding environment and meeting the height and width requirements specified in Point a, Clause 8 of this Article (hereinafter referred to as type A1b antenna tower).

9. Obtrusive antenna tower (hereinafter referred to as type A2 antenna tower), including:

a) Antenna tower installed on buildings not falling under type A1 antenna tower as defined in Clause 8 of this Article (hereinafter referred to as type A2a antenna tower);

b) Antenna tower installed on the ground (hereinafter referred to as type A2b antenna tower);

c) Other antenna towers not falling under types A1a, A1b, A2a, or A2b (hereinafter referred to as type A2c antenna tower).

10. Cable suspension pole is a steel, reinforced concrete, or other material pole used to suspend cables in accordance with National Technical Regulation QCVN 33:2011/BTTTT for separate telecommunications cable suspension poles (hereinafter referred to as type C1 cable suspension poles), or relevant technical standards for shared cable suspension poles used by other sectors such as power poles, street lights, etc. (hereinafter referred to as type C2 cable suspension poles).

11. Underground technical infrastructure works (including cable manholes, cable tanks, trenches, and technical conduits, etc.) are underground technical infrastructure works constructed beneath the ground surface for cable installation, in accordance with the national technical regulation QCVN 33:2011/BTTTT on the installation of peripheral telecommunications cable networks for separate underground telecommunications technical infrastructure works (hereinafter referred to as type N1 underground technical infrastructure works), or relevant technical standards and regulations for shared underground technical infrastructure works used by other sectors such as power, public lighting, water supply, drainage, energy supply, etc. (hereinafter referred to as type N2 underground technical infrastructure works).

Article 4. General Objectives

The planning of passive telecommunications technical infrastructure aims to ensure sustainable development and exploitation of telecommunications infrastructure, improve service quality, network safety, while meeting environmental protection requirements, especially in urban areas.

Article 5. General Requirements

1. Local planning of passive telecommunications technical infrastructure must be consistent and harmonious with the national telecommunications development plan, local socio-economic development plans, urban planning, technical infrastructure planning of other sectors in the locality, and related technical standards and regulations.

2. Planning of passive telecommunications technical infrastructure must meet the requirements for shared use of technical infrastructure works among agencies, organizations, enterprises, and between sectors, while also meeting the requirements for combining economic and social development with ensuring security and defense in the area.

3. Planning of passive telecommunications technical infrastructure must clearly define objectives, requirements, contents, and scale of infrastructure development, as well as determine solutions and implementation timelines for the plan.

4. Implement the application of information technology to build and manage the planning of passive telecommunications technical infrastructure: digital maps, electronic databases, etc.

Chapter II
PLANNING OF PASSIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE PROVINCE AND CITY LEVEL BY THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE

Article 6. Planning of Important Telecommunications Works Related to National Security

1. Objectives:

a) Determine specific requirements for the layout and construction of important telecommunications works related to national security to ensure the safety of infrastructure and information security for telecommunications activities in the area;

b) Determine the location or direction, scale of areas within the area to be used for construction; types and time of putting into use important telecommunications works related to national security.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

a) Meet the requirements for protecting works: ensuring the arrangement of protective corridors, technical protection systems, and work protection forces;

b) Meet fire prevention and firefighting requirements: ensuring the arrangement of fire prevention and firefighting systems and internal roads that allow fire prevention and firefighting vehicles and personnel to access the works;

c) Meet the technical safety corridor requirements as stipulated for works with radio towers installed;

d) The content of the planning of important telecommunications works related to national security must be kept confidential in accordance with the laws on state secrets protection.

3. Content (according to Model 1 - Appendix attached):

a) Name of the work;

b) Function of the work (regional, inter-provincial, nationwide, international, etc., as provided for in Clause 2, Article 40 of Decree 25/2011/NĐ-CP);

c) Managing and operating unit;

d) Location of the work; scale of the management, control, routing, switching, and signal transmission system of the work, including: land plot area used; form of land use (transfer, lease, etc.); construction land area; usable floor area; height of the work (excluding antenna masts installed on the work); height of antenna masts installed on the work or within the construction land area of the work (if any); protective corridor (if any); technical safety corridor (if any);

đ) Area (ward, commune/district, county) through which the transmission line passes; total length of the line through province, city; type of underground technical infrastructure works used for installing telecommunications cables of the transmission system: separate telecommunications cable poles (C1), other cable poles (C2), separate underground telecommunications technical infrastructure works (N1), other underground technical infrastructure works (N2);

e) Time of commissioning and using the work.

Article 7. Planning for Public Telecommunication Service Supply Points

1. Objectives:

a) Determine specific requirements for the layout and construction of public telecommunication service supply points to ensure aesthetics, safety, and convenience in providing and using telecommunication services at public places within the area;

b) Identify locations, scale of such points within the area to be deployed, and the time for putting into operation public telecommunication service supply points.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

a) Public telecommunication service supply points shall be prioritized for construction at railway stations, bus terminals, seaports, airports, border gates,, commercial centers, remote rural areas, border regions, islands where it is difficult or impossible to deploy individual access networks to households and other public places;

b) Public telecommunication service supply points must be constructed in easily observable locations, convenient for users, with designs suitable to the surrounding environment and landscape, and ensuring urban aesthetics.

3. Content (according to Model 2 - Appendix attached):

a) Location of the public telecommunication service supply point;

b) Type of public telecommunication service supply point: manned (Type 1), unmanned (Type 2);

c) Telecommunication service provider;

d) Scale of the project: land plot area used, land usage form (land transfer, land lease, etc.), construction land area, usable floor area, building height;

đ) Time for commissioning and operating the public telecommunication service supply point.

Article 8. Planning for Antenna Towers

1. Objectives:

a) Determine specific requirements for the layout and construction of antenna towers to ensure safety for telecommunication network operations and protect environmental landscapes, especially in urban areas;

b) Gradually limit the construction of bulky antenna towers, particularly those over 50 meters high, while implementing plans to convert bulky antenna towers to non-bulky ones within the planning period to achieve an urban and rural residential space without bulky antenna towers, or minimize them to the lowest extent possible.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

a) Antenna towers must ensure safety, aesthetics, and comply with design and construction requirements and relevant technical standards;

b) The height of antenna towers must meet aviation safety requirements as stipulated by law;

c) The antenna system installed on antenna towers must comply with electromagnetic compatibility standards and radio frequency radiation safety standards;

d) Only non-bulky antenna towers may be installed in areas with high requirements for environmental protection, such as main streets, central squares, historical-cultural sites, scenic spots, and other areas as specified by provincial and municipal People's Committees;

đ) Limit the excessive installation of multiple antennas on antenna towers mounted on buildings, which makes the towers overly bulky, causing safety and urban aesthetic issues;

e) Limit the construction of ground-based antenna towers with heights of 100 meters or more for all areas, and 50 meters or more for urban areas.

3. Content (according to Model 3 - Appendix attached):

a) Areas and streets allowed to install only non-bulky antenna towers (Type A1) during the planning period, including: names of areas and streets; completion time for converting bulky antenna towers (Type A2a) to non-bulky ones (Type A1);

b) Areas and streets within the region permitted to install ground-based bulky antenna towers under 50 meters (A2b<50); permitted to install ground-based bulky antenna towers under 100 meters (A2b<100); permitted to install ground-based bulky antenna towers (A2b) during the planning period, or

Areas and streets within the region not permitted to install ground-based bulky antenna towers (A2b); not permitted to install ground-based bulky antenna towers 50 meters or higher (A2b ≥ 50); not permitted to install ground-based bulky antenna towers 100 meters or higher (A2b ≥ 100) during the planning period.

Article 9. Planning for cable suspension poles and underground technical infrastructure works

1. Objectives:

a) Determine specific requirements for the layout and construction of cable suspension poles and underground technical infrastructure works to ensure safety for telecommunication network operations and protect the environmental landscape, particularly in urban areas;

b) Gradually reduce the practice of suspending telecommunication cables; enhance the shared use of cable suspension poles and underground technical infrastructure works; simultaneously implement plans to bury cables within the planning period to achieve urban and rural residential areas without suspended cables, or minimize suspended cables to the lowest extent possible.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

a) On routes where there is still capacity to install telecommunication cables in underground technical infrastructure works, telecommunication cables must be installed within these works;

b) In areas where it is no longer possible to lay cables underground in existing underground technical infrastructure works or where it is not feasible to construct new underground technical infrastructure works, telecommunication cables may be installed on power poles or streetlights. If there are no power poles or streetlights available, or if they cannot accommodate telecommunication cables, separate cable suspension poles may be constructed;

c) For new urban areas, industrial zones, export processing zones, high-tech parks, newly built, renovated, or expanded roads and streets, planning and implementing the construction of underground technical infrastructure works for laying telecommunication cables must be carried out;

d) Enterprises must invest in, construct, and share systems of cable suspension poles and underground technical infrastructure works if the route and direction of telecommunication cable systems are identical;

đ) Cable suspension poles and underground technical infrastructure works must ensure safety, aesthetics, comply with design and construction requirements for works, and relevant technical standards and regulations;

3. Content (according to Model 4 - Appendix attached):

a) Name of district, county;

b) Names of areas, streets, roads that need to construct underground technical infrastructure works, separately build cable suspension poles for telecommunication, or use shared cable suspension poles with other sectors such as power poles, streetlights, etc., to install telecommunication cables;

c) Types of technical infrastructure works used to install telecommunication cables, including: separate underground telecommunication infrastructure works (N1), shared underground technical infrastructure works with other sectors (N2), separate cable suspension poles for telecommunication (C1), shared cable suspension poles with other sectors (C2);

d) Scale of technical infrastructure works used to install telecommunication cables, including: type, maximum number of telecommunication cables that can be installed in the work and length of the work;

đ) Completion time for burying telecommunication cable routes within the planning period;

Article 10. Procedures and formalities for establishing and approving passive telecommunication infrastructure planning by Provincial People's Committees

The Department of Information and Communications is responsible for leading and coordinating with related units to assist Provincial People's Committees in establishing, approving, and announcing passive telecommunication infrastructure planning for the locality, including:

1. Investigating, surveying, and collecting data related to passive telecommunication infrastructure of telecommunications enterprises with network infrastructure; private telecommunication network owners; organizations and individuals with radio frequency usage permits and other organizations involved in building passive telecommunication infrastructure;

2. Investigating, surveying, and collecting data on technical infrastructure of other related sectors (transportation, electricity, public lighting, energy supply, water supply, drainage, etc.) in the locality;

3. Leading and coordinating with the Department of Planning and Investment, the Construction Department, the Transportation Department, the Industry and Trade Department, the Natural Resources and Environment Department, and other related units to analyze and prepare reports on passive telecommunication infrastructure planning in the locality;

4. Organizing preliminary planning report presentations (Department of Information and Communications), revising and supplementing the report;

5. Organizing a presentation of the planning report before the Provincial People's Committee;

6. Completing the final planning report;

7. Submitting the planning report to the Provincial People's Committee for approval and announcement of passive telecommunication infrastructure planning in the locality, including:

a) Explanation of the planning project;

b) Diagrams, drawings, and attachments;

c) Map of passive telecommunication infrastructure planning in the locality at a scale of 1/5,000 to 1/25,000;

8. After the passive telecommunication infrastructure planning for the province/city is approved, the Provincial People's Committee is responsible for publicly announcing and notifying the planning through mass media and the provincial government website (excluding contents related to state secrets according to regulations) and sending it to the Ministry of Information and Communications (Telecommunications Administration);

9. Procedures, formalities, implementation costs, and related issues regarding the establishment and approval of passive telecommunication infrastructure planning for the province/city shall be implemented in accordance with Decree No. 92/2006/ND-CP dated September 7, 2006, Decree No. 04/2008/ND-CP dated January 11, 2008 of the Government, and related legal documents;

Chapter III

PLANNING OF PASSIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

AT THE LOCALITY OF TELECOMMUNICATION ENTERPRISES

Article 11. Planning for important telecommunications works related to national security

1. Objectives:

Determining the location or route direction, scale, type, construction time, and operational commencement time for important telecommunications works related to national security of enterprises within the area.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

In addition to meeting the requirements stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 6 of this Circular, the construction site of important telecommunications works related to national security of enterprises must ensure safety and convenience for organizing, managing, and operating the network.

3. Content (according to Model 5 - Appendix attached):

a) Name of the work;

b) Function of the work (regional, inter-provincial, nationwide, international, etc., as provided for in Clause 2, Article 40 of Decree 25/2011/NĐ-CP);

c) Managing and operating unit;

d) Location of the work; scale of the management, control, routing, switching, and broadcasting signal telecommunications system and radio and television transmission, including: land plot area used, land use form (land transfer, land lease, etc.), construction land area, usable floor area, height of the work (excluding antenna towers installed on the work), height of the antenna tower installed on the work or within the construction land area of the work (if any); protection zone (if any); technical safety zone (if any);

đ) Area (ward, commune/district, county) that the transmission line passes through; installation location of transmission equipment (repeater station, channel multiplexing/separation station, cross-connect station, etc.); total length of the line; length of the line through each area; type of technical infrastructure used to install telecommunications cables, including: separate underground telecommunications infrastructure (N1), shared underground infrastructure with other sectors (N2), separate telecommunication cable poles (C1), shared telecommunication cable poles with other sectors (C2);

e) Construction time; completion and operation commencement time of the work.

Article 12. Planning for public telecommunications service provision points

1. Objectives:

Determining the locations, scales, types of points within the area to be deployed and the operational commencement time for public telecommunications service provision points.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

In addition to meeting the requirements stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 7 of this Circular, public telecommunications service provision points of enterprises must meet the following requirements:

a) Enterprises' unmanned public telecommunications service provision points must have a standardized design applied uniformly within the area, meeting the following requirements: small and compact size; logo or brand to identify the service provider;

b) Enterprises' manned public telecommunications service provision points must have a standardized sign applied uniformly within the area to identify the service provider.

3. Content (according to Model 6 - Appendix attached):

a) Location of the public telecommunication service supply point;

b) Type of public telecommunication service supply point: manned (Type 1), unmanned (Type 2);

c) Scale of the work: land plot area used, land use form (land transfer, land lease, etc.), construction land area, usable floor area, height of the work;

d) Type of service provided: voice calls, fax, Internet, etc.;

đ) Construction time; operational commencement time of the public telecommunications service provision point.

Article 13. Planning for antenna towers

1. Objectives:

Determining the accurate position, type, scale, degree of shared use of antenna towers and the completion time for converting bulky antenna towers installed on existing structures to non-bulky antenna towers within the planning period.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

In addition to meeting the requirements stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 8 of this Circular, the antenna tower planning of enterprises must ensure:

a) Compliance with the requirements for granting construction permits for passive telecommunications infrastructure as stipulated in Article 41 of Decree No. 25/2011/NĐ-CP dated April 6, 2011 of the Government and relevant laws;

b) Enhancing indoor coverage while applying appropriate technologies, technical solutions, and frequency bands to minimize the size of outdoor antenna systems; promoting the use of environmentally friendly antenna systems, especially in urban areas.

3. Content (according to Model 7 - Appendix attached):

a) Installation location: address for exploitation and use of the antenna tower;

e) Completion time for converting from bulky antenna tower type A2a to non-bulky antenna tower type A1 within the planning period.

Article 14. Planning for cable suspension poles and underground technical infrastructure works

1. Objectives:

Determine the type of technical infrastructure works on areas, streets, and roads to be used for installing telecommunications cables; the maximum number and types of telecommunications cables that will be installed for each type of technical infrastructure work within the planning period and the completion time for undergrounding telecommunications cables within the planning period.

2. The remaining 60% shall be used to supplement the operating funds of units directly responsible for public debt management at the Ministry of Finance (outside the regular state budget allocation for ongoing operations as currently provided) for the purposes specified in Article 4 of this Decision.

In addition to meeting the requirements stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 9 of this Circular, the planning for technical infrastructure works to install telecommunications cables by enterprises must ensure compliance with the requirements for construction permits for passive telecommunications infrastructure works as prescribed in Article 41 of Decree No. 25/2011/NĐ-CP dated April 6, 2011 of the Government and relevant laws.

3. Content (according to Model 8 - Appendix attached):

a) Names of areas, streets, and roads;

b) Scale of cable lines to be installed into the works: length of the technical infrastructure work line; maximum number and types of telecommunications cables that will be installed for each type of technical infrastructure work within the planning period;

c) Time of operation commencement;

d) Completion time for undergrounding telecommunications cables within the planning period.

Article 15. Procedures and formalities for establishing and approving plans for passive telecommunications infrastructure of telecommunications enterprises in provinces and cities

1. The establishment and approval of plans for passive telecommunications infrastructure of enterprises include the following steps:

a) Enterprises conduct surveys, collect data related to the current status of their own passive telecommunications infrastructure and that of related units in the area;

b) Based on the approved provincial or municipal passive telecommunications infrastructure plan, the current status and development plan of their own passive telecommunications infrastructure, enterprises establish a passive telecommunications infrastructure plan and submit it to the Provincial or Municipal People's Committee;

c) The Department of Information and Communications takes the lead, coordinating with related units to review and submit the passive telecommunications infrastructure plan of the enterprise in the locality to the Provincial or Municipal People's Committee for approval;

d) After the enterprise’s plan is approved, the enterprise is responsible for publicly announcing and notifying the plan through mass media and the enterprise's website (excluding contents related to state secrets as prescribed) while sending it to the Ministry of Information and Communications (Telecommunications Administration).

2. The planning project of the enterprise includes:

a) A proposal requesting approval of the planning;

b) Explanation of the planning project, diagrams, drawings, and attached appendices;

c) Maps of passive telecommunications infrastructure systems planning at scales of 1/5,000 to 1/25,000;

d) Implementation plan after the plan is approved.

Chapter IV
IMPLEMENTATION

Article 16. Ministry of Information and Communications

Takes the lead, coordinating with related ministries and sectors to guide and inspect the implementation of the provisions of this Circular.

Article 17. Provincial and Municipal People's Committees

1. Establish, approve, and publish the local passive telecommunications infrastructure plan every five years, with a ten-year orientation, and adjust and supplement annually.

2. Examine and approve the passive telecommunications infrastructure plans of telecommunications enterprises in the locality.

3. Incorporate the contents of the local passive telecommunications infrastructure plan into transportation planning, detailed urban planning at scales of 1/2,000 and 1/500.

4. Direct telecommunications enterprises and related organizations and individuals to organize the implementation of the approved passive telecommunications infrastructure plan.

5. Based on the approved passive telecommunications infrastructure plan, develop and implement plans for undergrounding telecommunications cables and plans for rearranging antenna tower systems to ensure efficient shared use of infrastructure works, safety, and environmental aesthetics in the locality.

6. Develop databases and maps to update the current status of passive telecommunications infrastructure in the locality.

Article 18. Agencies, organizations, enterprises, and individuals related to the construction and use of passive telecommunications infrastructure in local areas

1. Provide complete data on passive telecommunications infrastructure within their jurisdiction upon request from the Department of Information and Communications for the purpose of implementing tasks such as planning, approving, announcing, and managing the planning of passive telecommunications infrastructure in local areas.

2. Telecommunications enterprises shall develop a plan for passive telecommunications infrastructure in their local area every five (05) years, with a ten (10)-year outlook, annual adjustments and supplements, and submit it to the People's Committee of the province or city for consideration and approval.

3. Implement the plan for passive telecommunications infrastructure of the province or city and the telecommunications enterprise in the local area after receiving approval.

4. Based on the underground cable telecommunications plan and the plan to renovate and rearrange the antenna pole system of the province or city, establish and implement plans for undergrounding telecommunications cables and renovating and rearranging the antenna pole system in the local area.

5. Establish databases and maps to update the current status of passive telecommunications infrastructure of the unit and periodically report according to the requirements of the Department of Information and Communications.

Article 19. Effectiveness and Implementation

1. This Circular takes effect from August 15, 2013.

2. The Director of the Office, the Inspector General, the Director of the Telecommunications Department, the Heads of agencies and units under the Ministry; the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities; the General Directors and Directors of telecommunications enterprises and relevant organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

3. In the course of implementation, if any difficulties arise, the relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals must promptly reflect them to the Ministry of Information and Communications for review and resolution./.