Decision No. 47/2003/QD-BBCVT dated March 20, 2003 of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications promulgating the table of international telephone using the public switched telephone network (PSTN)

DECISION

PROMULGATING THE TABLE OF INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE USING THE PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK (PSTN)

MINISTER OF POSTS AND TELEMATICS (MPT)

In accordance with Decree 90/2002/ND-CP dated November 11, 2002 of the Government regulating the functions, duties, range of competence and organizational structure of the Ministry of Posts and Telematics (MPT);

In accordance with Decision 99/1998/QD-TTg dated May 26, 1998 of the Prime Minister governing the management of posts and telecommunications tariffs and charges;

In accordance with Circular 03/1999/TT-TCBD dated May 11, 1999 of the Department General of Posts and Telecommunications (DGPT) providing guidance to the implementation of Decree 109/1997/ND-CP dated November 12, 1997 of the Government concerning the posts and telecommunications sector, and Decision 99/1998/QD-TTg dated May 26, 1998 of the Prime Minister governing the management of posts and telecommunications tariffs and charges;

At the proposal of the Director of the Planning-Finance Department,

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1. The charges of international direct dial (IDD) to foreign countries and territories are regulated as follows:

1. Charges fall into 3 areas:

- Area 1: Including the ASEAN, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Republic of Korea and Japan

- Area 2: Including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, European countries, North Korea, Cuba and India

- Area 3: The remainder

2. Charges applicable to each area:

Area 1: US$0.9/minute ($0.09/block of 6 seconds)

Area 2: $1.0/minute ($0.10/block of 6 seconds)

Area 3: $1.1/minute ($0.11/block of 6 seconds)

3. Charges are calculated per first minute and each of the next 6-second. Calls that last less than 01 minute will be billed per the first minute. The remaining seconds of the calls that last less than 6 seconds will be rounded as a 6-second block.

Article 2. For international calls via operators

1. Charges are calculated per the first 03 minutes and each of the next. Calls that last less than 3 minutes are charged per the first 03 minutes. The remaining seconds of a call that last less than 01 minute will be rounded as 01 minute.

2. The charge per 01 minute is regulated in item 1, 2 in Article 1 of this decision.

Article 3. The charges regulated in Article 1 and 2 are applied to all international calls made via PSTN (at subscribers premises, at public service points such as post offices, agents, village post office and cultural places and card phone stations).

Article 4. International calls made by mobile phone subscribers are charged at local mobile phone charge plus the international telecommunications charge as regulated in Articles 1 and 2.

Article 5. International telephone charges applicable to facsimile and data transmission subscribers using the standard voice bandwidth (data transmission via telephone subscriber) will be the same as international telephone charges at levels regulated in Article 1.

Article 6. Enterprises providing international telephone services are allowed to:
1. Based on the area setting and the charge level set for each area in Articles 1 and 2, regulate the specific table of charges for each direction to each destination.

2. During the implementation process, enterprises are allowed to transfer countries to the area of the lowest charge level and report to the Ministry of Posts and Telematics (MPT).

3. The reduction of communications charges during holidays, Sundays and from 23pm of the previous day to 7am of the next day from Monday to Saturday will be set by enterprises as long as they do not surpass 20%.

4. The reduction of charges for potential and special customers will be decided by enterprises as long as they do not surpass 20%.

5. AS for IDD calls made at pubic service points, apart from the charge regulated in Articles 1 and 2, the service providers are allowed to collect a service surcharge, which will be specifically set by themselves.

Article 7. The charges regulated in this decision have not included value added tax (VAT). This decision comes into force as of April 1, 2003, and all prior regulations which are in contrary to this decision are hereby annulled.

Article 8. Chiefs of Offices, the Director of the Planning-Finance, directors of units under MPT, directors general and directors of enterprises providing international telecommunications services, and directors of related units are due to implement this decision.