The central city of Da Nang and the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to transform Da Nang into a smart city by 2025. This will be the second phase of cooperation between the two sides, after a successful five-year information technology (IT) deal between 2016-2020, focused on introducing smart management in health, education, and training services.
According to a news report, the Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, Le Trung Chinh, noted that the cooperation between the city and Viettel has created the foundations to make the city a smart one. He said the first period of the deal had created smart solutions in the management of the transport infrastructure, environment, power and water systems, and population. Earlier, the city had launched an e-government system, making IT infrastructure available for smart connections in air control, water management, garbage collection and meteorology, earthquake and tsunami warning, and flood, erosion, and sewage management systems.
Following the latest MoU, Viettel plans to launch a 5G network at Da Nang Software Park No 1 and 2 with the Internet of Things (IoT) facilities, a digital database centre, and cybersecurity services. Viettel plans to build the Da Nang-based IT complex centre in the northwest urban area of Son Tra Peninsula, for further strategic development in central Vietnam. Da Nang has been building Software Park No 2 with an investment of VND 986 billion (US$43 million), creating a workplace for 6,000 IT engineers in the first phase by 2022.
The city has developed two centralised IT zones, the Da Nang Software Park and Da Nang IT Park, to offer a workplace for 1,900 IT and communications experts. The 341ha Da Nang IT Park, which was designed as the ‘Silicon Valley’ in central Vietnam, is expected to create revenue of US$1.5 billion each year, with 25,000 jobs and an urban area for 100,000 people from 2030.
In August, OpenGov Asia reported that the city is developing its e-government to provide all online public administrative services at level 4. It aims for 60% of level-3 and 4 non-business services to be provided on multiple digital platforms and supported on mobile devices. Online public services in Vietnam are classified into four levels, depending on the tasks that can be performed digitally.
The first level comprises public services that provide online access to all information regarding the service, including procedures, required papers, deadlines, fees, and service charges. The second level allows users to download the required forms to be printed and filled in later. The third level allows applicants to fill and submit forms online, however, they still have to pay fees at the relevant government bodies. Service payments can be settled online at the fourth level.
In 2014, Da Nang was the first city in Vietnam to launch an e-government system and transferred it to 16 cities and provinces in 2016. The city has maintained its leading position in terms of readiness for ICT development and application, topping the Vietnam ICT Index rankings for another year in 2020. This was the 12th consecutive year it had secured first place in the ratings of Vietnam’s 63 cities and provinces. The city posted a total score of 0.9238 in last year’s rankings; 12% higher than that of the runner-up – neighbouring Thua Thien-Hue province. It scored 1.00 in the category of IT applications.
