Decision No. 26/2006/QD-BBCVT on the issuance of long-distance inter-provincial telephone service tariffs provided by Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the issuance of long-distance inter-provincial telephone service rates provided by Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group

_____________________

MINISTER OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Pursuant to Decree No. 90/2002/NĐ-CP dated November 11, 2002 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications;

Pursuant to Decision No. 217/2003/QĐ-TTg dated October 27, 2003 of the Prime Minister on price management for postal and telecommunications service rates;

Considering the proposal of Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corporation (now Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group) at Document No. 1818/GCTT dated April 6, 2006 regarding the request to change the level and method of calculating long-distance telephone rates;

At the suggestion of the Director of the Planning and Finance Department.

DECISION:

Article 1. Issuing long-distance inter-provincial telephone service rates provided by Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group at subscriber premises as follows:

1. The scope of long-distance inter-provincial telephone communication is communication between telephones not within the administrative boundaries of the same province or centrally governed city.

2. Information rate levels:

2.1. For long-distance inter-provincial telephone services on the PSTN network: - Maximum rate: 1,636 dong/minute; - Minimum rate: 909 dong/minute.

2.2. For long-distance inter-provincial telephone services on the NGN 64 Kbps network using prepaid cards, VoIP long-distance inter-provincial telephone services with postpaid, VoIP long-distance inter-provincial telephone services using prepaid cards, long-distance inter-provincial telephone services on the NGN 8 Kbps network using prepaid cards: - Maximum rate: Not higher than the rate of long-distance inter-provincial telephone services on the PSTN network in the same region at the corresponding time. - Minimum rate: Not lower than 20% of the rate of long-distance inter-provincial telephone services on the PSTN network in the same region at the corresponding time.

3. Rate calculation method: The rate calculation method for long-distance inter-provincial telephone services is calculated based on the first rate unit and subsequent rate units under the condition that the first rate unit is not less than 6 seconds and subsequent units are not less than 1 second.

4. Rates for long-distance inter-provincial telephone services for fax subscribers and data transmission subscribers within standard telephone bands (data transmission over telephone subscriber lines) shall be applied as for the corresponding long-distance inter-provincial telephone service rates at Clause 1, Clause 2, and Clause 3 of Article 1 of this Decision.

Article 2. At public points, in addition to the service rates specified in Article 1 of this Decision, enterprises may charge additional service fees but must not discriminate among services provided by corresponding service providers.

Article 3. The rates specified in Article 1 of this Decision do not include value-added tax.

Article 4. Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group:

1. Based on the provisions of Article 1, Article 2, and Article 3 of this Decision, establish specific rates and methods of calculating rates for long-distance inter-provincial telephone communications of the Group. When issuing decisions on specific rates and methods of calculating rates according to its authority, the Group shall notify the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications 10 days before the decision takes effect.

2. Set reduced rates for long-distance inter-provincial telephone calls on the PSTN network, NGN 64 Kbps network using prepaid cards; postpaid VoIP inter-provincial telephone services, prepaid VoIP inter-provincial telephone services; inter-provincial telephone services on the NGN 8 Kbps network using prepaid cards during holidays, Sundays, and from 11 PM the previous day to 7 AM the following morning during weekdays from Monday to Saturday, but the reduction shall not exceed 30% of the corresponding rates stipulated at the time.

Article 5. These provisions of this Decision apply to users of long-distance inter-provincial telephone services provided by Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group.

Article 6. This Decision shall take effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette. All previous regulations contrary to this Decision shall be abolished.

Article 7. The Head of the Office, Directors of the Planning and Finance Department, Heads of relevant units under the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, General Directors of Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group, and related units are responsible for implementing this Decision./.