The Internet in Vietnam (ccTLD: .vn) is growing rapidly. Between 2001 and 2005, the number of Internet users increased from 800,000 to 3 million. By 2007, Vietnam reported Internet penetration levels of 11.5 percent, rising to 22.4 percent in 2008 and 45.2% in 2010. By 2013, Vietnam officials reported Internet penetration levels of 75.2 percent, which is about 68 million users with

Wifi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio waves ...

signals that can be found anywhere in every commercial and residential area. As of January 2021, out of its population of over 96 million people, the number of internet users reached approximately 69 million. Internet usage in Vietnam is predominantly mobile-based, thanks to the high smartphone penetration rate. Using the internet has become a daily habit among many Vietnamese people, with multiple purposes including work, study, entertainment, and more.

History

A professor at the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies and ...

, Rob Hurle, is considered to be the first person to connect Vietnam to the Internet. Hurle first presented his ideas about bringing Internet access to Vietnamese students studying in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. In 1991, Hurle took a modem to Vietnam to connect the country to the global Internet.VNNIC (2013). Report on Vietnam Internet
version
/ref> About 60% of Vietnam's internet traffic is through the

Asia-America Gateway The Asia-America Gateway (AAG) is a long submarine communications cable system, connecting South-East Asia with the mainland of the United States, across the Pacific Ocean via Guam and Hawaii. The cable is capable of delivering up to 2.88 Tbit ...

cable. A larger Asia Pacific Gateway cable was deployed in 2016. Vietnam also has an emerging e-commerce sector with fast-growing market value. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnamese consumers have shopped online more than ever, reinforcing the strong growth of the e-commerce sector. Before the pandemic, travel, mobility, and accommodation were the e-commerce category with the highest consumer spending. Since the first outbreak of COVID-19 in Vietnam, consumers have been more willing to shop for basic necessities and fresh products online, making food and personal care the e-commerce category with the highest growth in 2020. These new shopping habits are expected to remain even after the pandemic.

Development

Legal and regulatory frameworks

References

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