CIRCULAR NO. 14/2025/TT-BKHCN REGULATING THE ORGANIZATION AND ENSURING COMMUNICATION INFORMATION TO SERVE THE TASKS OF DIRECTING AND MANAGING DISASTER PREVENTION AND CONTROL

CIRCULAR

REGULATIONS ON THE ORGANIZATION AND ENSURING OF COMMUNICATION INFORMATION TO SERVE COMMAND AND CONTROL WORK IN NATURAL DISASTER PREVENTION AND RESPONSE

FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVING DIRECTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT IN PREVENTING AND COMBATING NATURAL DISASTERS

Pursuant to the Civil Defense Law dated June 20, 2023

Pursuant to the Law on Telecommunications dated November 24, 2023;

Pursuant to the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control dated June 19, 2013, amended and supplemented on June 17, 2020;

Pursuant to Decree No. 163/2024/NĐ-CP dated December 24, 2024 of the Government detailing certain provisions and measures for implementing the Law on Telecommunications;

Pursuant to Decree No. 66/2021/NĐ-CP dated July 6, 2021 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the Law on Dike Management;

Pursuant to Decree No. 55/2025/NĐ-CP dated March 2, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science and Technology;

At the proposal of the Director of the Telecommunications Administration,

The Minister of Science and Technology promulgates this Circular regulating the organization and ensuring of communication information to serve command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular regulates the organization and ensuring of communication information to serve command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response for the Government, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, down to the Civil Defense Command of Ministries, agencies at the ministerial level, provinces, and centrally governed cities.

Article 2. Applicability

Organizations, enterprises providing postal and telecommunications services, and individuals directly related to the organization and ensuring of communication information to serve command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

Article 1. Organization and Ensuring of Communication Information to Serve Command and Control Work in Natural Disaster Prevention and Response

1. The organization and ensuring of communication information to serve command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response involve mobilizing, organizing, and utilizing public postal and telecommunications networks, dedicated telecommunications networks to meet the needs of communication information to serve command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response.

2. Dedicated telecommunications networks serving command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response are telecommunications networks established by the State at the Central Post Office and Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group to serve the Government, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, and the Civil Defense Commands of provinces/cities under central governance in organizing and ensuring communication information to serve command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response.

The network includes:

a) Fixed satellite telecommunications system;

b) Mobile satellite telecommunications system;

c) Radio telecommunications system;

d) Videoconferencing system;

e) Special-purpose vehicles for communication services.

Article 4. Principles of Organization and Ensuring of Communication Information to Serve Command and Control Work in Natural Disaster Prevention and Response

1. Ensuring communication information for natural disaster prevention and response with the highest priority, safety, reliability, and speed. Prioritize the use of local networks to implement command and control activities in natural disaster prevention and response.

2. Organizing and managing the operation of communication information for natural disaster prevention and response centrally, uniformly, and directly.

3. Exploiting and using dedicated telecommunications networks for command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response for their intended purposes and effectively.

Chapter II

4. Investment, upgrading, operation, and exploitation costs of dedicated telecommunications networks for command and control work in natural disaster prevention and response shall be carried out in accordance with the laws on natural disaster prevention and control and relevant regulations.

ORGANIZATION AND ENSURING OF COMMUNICATION INFORMATION TO SERVE

Article 5. Organization and Assurance of Communication in Normal Conditions and Prior to Natural Disasters

Communication services for directing and managing natural disaster prevention and control in normal conditions and prior to natural disasters shall be organized as follows:

1. Communication from the Government headquarters, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee to the Civil Defense Command Committees of Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, provinces, centrally governed cities shall mainly be ensured through the use of public telecommunications services including fixed terrestrial mobile networks (telephone, internet, video conferencing, etc.), postal services for Party and State agencies, and public postal services.

2. Communication when moving outside the premises mentioned in Clause 1 of this Article shall mainly be ensured through the use of public telecommunications services including terrestrial mobile and satellite networks.

3. Communication for government working groups and the Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee in cases where there is no terrestrial mobile signal or satellite mobile signal shall mainly be ensured through the use of specialized communication equipment systems on dedicated information vehicles.

Article 6. Organization and Assurance of Communication During Natural Disasters

1. In areas affected by natural disasters that do not impact the operation of public postal and telecommunications networks, the organization and assurance of communication shall be carried out according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Circular.

2. In areas affected by natural disasters that directly disrupt the communication of public postal and telecommunications networks, the assurance of communication services for directing and managing natural disaster prevention and control shall be organized as follows:

a) Communication from the Government headquarters, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee to the headquarters of the Civil Defense Command Committees of provinces, centrally governed cities, and communes affected by natural disasters shall mainly be ensured through the use of mobile satellite telecommunication systems, fixed satellite telecommunication systems, and radio telecommunication systems.

b) Communication when moving outside the premises mentioned in point a of Clause 2 of this Article shall mainly be ensured through the use of mobile satellite telecommunication systems and radio telecommunication systems.

c) Communication for government working groups and the Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee shall be ensured through the use of mobile satellite telecommunication systems and radio telecommunication systems on dedicated information vehicles.

Article 7. Organization and Assurance of Communication During the Post-Disaster Recovery Phase

1. In areas affected by natural disasters that do not cause damage impacting the operation of public postal and telecommunications networks, the organization and assurance of communication shall be carried out according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Circular.

2. In areas affected by natural disasters that directly cause damage disrupting the communication of public postal and telecommunications networks, the assurance of communication shall be organized according to the provisions of Clause 2 of Article 6 of this Circular.

3. In areas damaged by post-disaster consequences, once public postal and telecommunications networks have resumed normal operations, the organization and assurance of communication shall be carried out according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Circular.

Chapter III

RESPONSIBILITIES OF AUTHORITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND ENTERPRISES

Article 8. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Science and Technology

1. Implement state management functions to ensure communication information for directing and managing disaster prevention and control work and the operation of the dedicated telecommunications network serving such work.

2. Directly lead the Civil Defense Command Board of the Ministry of Science and Technology, telecommunications service enterprises, and related agencies and units to develop and organize the implementation of plans and schemes ensuring communication information for directing and managing disaster prevention and control work, search and rescue operations annually.

3. The Civil Defense Command Board of the Ministry of Science and Technology urges, guides, inspects, and directs the organization and implementation of activities of the dedicated telecommunications network serving directing and managing disaster prevention and control work; duty shifts, handling reports, compiling situations, and managing information organization work serving directing and managing disaster prevention and control and mitigating aftermaths of disasters.

Article 9. Responsibilities of the Telecommunications Department

1. The Telecommunications Department is the permanent agency advising and assisting the Minister of Science and Technology on disaster prevention and control work, specifically:

a) Proposing and advising on the issuance of policies to ensure communication information for disaster prevention and control work;

b) Directing telecommunications enterprises and related agencies and units to develop and implement plans and schemes ensuring communication information for directing and managing disaster prevention and control work annually;

c) Coordinating the activities of public telecommunications networks in ensuring communication information for directing and managing disaster prevention and control work;

d) Issuing directives on disaster prevention and control work annually;

đ) Issuing telegrams and documents directing provincial Science and Technology Departments and telecommunications service enterprises to implement measures to prevent, respond to, and mitigate aftermaths of disaster waves;

e) Directing telecommunications enterprises to send disaster warning messages according to the Prime Minister's requirements, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, and the Ministry of Science and Technology;

g) Directing telecommunications enterprises to implement roaming between mobile telecommunications networks when at least one network experiences communication failure;

h) Proposing measures to mobilize means, equipment, networks, and telecommunications services for disaster prevention and control as prescribed by law. Directing the implementation of tasks to meet communication information needs for disaster prevention and control work.

2. Advising provincial Science and Technology Departments on developing annual disaster prevention and control plans; integrating disaster prevention and control plans into local technical infrastructure development plans and master plans.

3. Directing telecommunications enterprises to enhance the capacity of public telecommunications networks, the quality of telecommunications services, and develop plans and schemes ensuring communication information for directing and managing disaster prevention and control work annually and before each disaster wave.

4. Compiling, reporting, evaluating, and statistically summarizing damage data caused by disasters to the Science and Technology sector.

Article 10. Responsibilities of the Central Post and Telecommunications Department

1. Organizing, managing, operating, and exploiting the postal network to serve Party and State agencies, dedicated telecommunications networks for directing and managing disaster prevention and control work for Party and State leaders; ensuring continuous operation of the network 24/7 to serve government working groups and the National Civil Defense Command Board.

2. Coordinating and organizing the provision of online television services to serve the Government and the National Civil Defense Command Board when required to organize online meetings for directing and managing disaster prevention and control work to provinces and cities.

3. Coordinating enterprises designated to maintain management of public postal networks, postal networks serving Party and State agencies to ensure communication information serving the Government's and the National Civil Defense Command Board's direction and management of disaster prevention and control work.

Article 11. Responsibilities of Science and Technology Departments of Provinces and Central Cities

1. Being responsible for ensuring communication information serving disaster prevention and control work at the local level according to the principle of "4 on-site": command on-site; forces on-site; means and materials on-site; logistics on-site.

2. Directly directing and guiding telecommunications service enterprises on the territory to build and implement plans and schemes to ensure communication information serving the direction and management of disaster prevention and control work by the provincial People's Committee and Provincial Civil Defense Command Board annually:

a) Taking the lead in directing and coordinating telecommunications service enterprises to ensure communication information serving the direction and management of disaster prevention and control work for all levels of government.

b) Directing telecommunications enterprises to construct robust base stations capable of withstanding Category 4 natural disasters in each commune and incorporating them into the planning and development of passive telecommunications infrastructure in the locality.

3. Advising the provincial People's Committee and Provincial Civil Defense Command Board on mobilizing and deploying communication equipment to serve disaster prevention and control work.

4. Cooperating with the Central Post and Telecommunications Department to organize communication for dedicated telecommunications networks to ensure communication information serving the direction and management of disaster prevention and control work for government working groups and the Head of the National Civil Defense Command Board during disasters.

5. Reporting to the Ministry of Science and Technology when requested about the situation of postal and telecommunications networks and the assurance of communication information serving the direction and management of disaster prevention and control work in the locality.

Article 12. Responsibilities of Telecommunications Enterprises

1. Building and implementing plans and schemes for disaster prevention and control work of their own units.

2. Organizing and ensuring communication information at locations affected by natural disasters according to the requirements of the provincial Civil Defense Command Board and the local Science and Technology Department to serve the direction and management of disaster prevention and control work.

3. Having plans to ensure safety, backup, and restoration of telecommunications infrastructure according to different levels of natural disaster risk.

4. Being ready to send messages upon request from the Prime Minister, the National Civil Defense Command Board, and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

5. Being ready to deploy roaming plans upon request from the Ministry of Science and Technology.

6. In each commune within areas frequently affected by natural disasters, based on the history of natural disasters over the past five years, enterprises need to cooperate in deploying at least one robust base station capable of withstanding Category 4 natural disasters (as directed by the Science and Technology Department) suitable for each region and type of natural disaster, and in compliance with construction standards set by the Ministry of Construction and other relevant standards. Providing a list of mobile base stations capable of withstanding Category 4 natural disasters to the Science and Technology Departments before June each year.

7. Annually organizing and implementing drills and responses to various types of natural disasters appropriate to each area to enhance the unit's capacity to respond to natural disasters.

8. Regularly and promptly reporting to higher-level management units about the situation of the telecommunications network and the assurance of communication information serving the direction and management of disaster prevention and control work.

9. Organizing, managing, operating, and exploiting dedicated telecommunications networks to serve the direction and management of disaster prevention and control work by provincial/city Civil Defense Command Boards; Ensuring uninterrupted operation of the network 24/7.

10. Cooperating with the Central Post and Telecommunications Department to organize communication for dedicated telecommunications networks to ensure communication information serving the direction and management of disaster prevention and control work for government working groups and the Head of the National Civil Defense Command Board during disasters.

Article 13. Responsibilities of postal service enterprises providing postal services

1. Ensuring postal communication information to serve the guidance and management of disaster prevention and control work of the Government, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee through the postal network serving Party and State agencies; the public postal network according to the requirements of the Office of the Government, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

2. Directing and managing branch units in localities to organize information services to serve the guidance and management of disaster prevention and control work according to the requirements of the Provincial Civil Defense Command and the Department of Science and Technology in the locality.

3. Building and implementing plans and schemes for disaster prevention and control work of their own unit.

4. Organizing and ensuring communication at localities affected by disasters according to the requirements of the Provincial Civil Defense Command and the Department of Science and Technology in the locality to serve the guidance and management of disaster prevention and control work.

5. Annually organizing and implementing drills and responses to various types of disasters suitable to each area to enhance the disaster response capacity of the unit.

6. Regularly and promptly reporting to the superior management unit about the situation of the postal network and the assurance of communication information to serve the guidance and management of disaster prevention and control work to the Civil Defense Command of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Departments of Science and Technology.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 14. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from September 22, 2025;

2. Circular No. 17/2012/TT-BTTTT dated January 5, 2012, issued by the Minister of Information and Communications on the organization and assurance of communication information to serve the guidance and management of disaster prevention and control work, and Circular No. 17/2019/TT-BTTTT dated December 10, 2019, issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 17/2012/TT-BTTTT dated January 5, 2012, issued by the Minister of Information and Communications on the organization and assurance of communication information to serve the guidance and management of disaster prevention and control work shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

Article 15. Implementation Organization

1. The Head of the Office, the Director of the Telecommunications Administration, the Heads of agencies and units under the Ministry, the Directors of the Departments of Science and Technology of centrally governed cities and provinces, the General Directors of the Vietnam Military Industry and Telecommunications Group, the General Directors of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corporation, the General Directors and Directors of postal and telecommunications service enterprises, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

2. In the course of implementation, if any difficulties arise, they should be reported promptly to the Ministry of Science and Technology for consideration and resolution./.