Phu Tho builds a digital society

In the era of Industry 4.0, digital transformation (DCT) is not only a trend but has become a strategic task, vital to the socio-economic development of every country and locality. In Vietnam, the national strategy on DCT to 2030 aims to build a comprehensive digital society, using technology as a driving force to promote innovation and improve the quality of life. In that context, Phu Tho province—the homeland of the nation—is constantly striving to keep up with this trend, aiming for modernization in all fields.

In recent years, Phu Tho province has continuously affirmed its pioneering role in DCT in the northern mountainous region. Implementing the national DCT strategy, the province aims to build a digital government, digital economy, and digital society, creating a breakthrough in socio-economic development.

People are guided to submit documents in the digital environment at the Provincial Public Administration Service Center.

In the field of the digital economy and digital society, the province has promptly issued the Development Plan for 2025, with a vision to 2030, and the decision to issue the program to support digital transformation enterprises in the province. The development of Internet infrastructure, digital payments, and digital platforms has achieved positive results. In 2023, the proportion of the digital economy reached 12.5%, ranking 10th in the country.

As of October 2024, the proportion of e-commerce in total retail sales reached 9.7%, an increase of 1.2% over the same period in 2023; the proportion of digital economy workers reached 4.9%, an increase of 0.7% over 2023; the proportion of the population aged 15 and over with an account has an electronic payment account of 73.9%, an increase of 6.7% compared to 2023; the proportion of mobile subscribers using smartphones is estimated at 87.5%, an increase of 3.43% compared to 2023; the proportion of households with broadband fiber optic cable is estimated at 76.77%, an increase of 4.83% compared to 2023. The above figures show progress in the access and use of digital services by people and businesses.

The organization and implementation of the project “Developing applications of population data, identification, and electronic authentication to serve the National Digital Transformation in the period of 2022-2025, with a vision to 2030” (Project 06) has brought about many positive results. The whole province has issued over 1.3 million citizen identification cards and 979 thousand electronic identification accounts; completed the entry of civil status data on the National Population Database with 1,183,176 data, contributing to promoting the exploitation of utilities from Project 06 and logging in to resolve administrative procedures through online public services.

100% of medical facilities implement medical examination and treatment using citizen identification cards, VneID; 70% of patients use citizen identification cards, VneID, to replace health insurance cards; and non-cash payments are implemented in collecting tuition fees at educational institutions, paying pensions, and policies for people with meritorious services. Orientation to 2025, the digital economy accounts for more than 20% of GRDP, and the proportion of the digital economy in each industry and field reaches at least 10%; the rate of enterprises using electronic contracts reaches at least 80%...

Building a digital society cannot be separated from the cooperative relationship between the two main pillars: state agencies and technology enterprises. If state agencies play a strategic orientation role, building a legal corridor, technology enterprises are the force implementing, providing infrastructure and digital solutions. The close coordination between the two sides has contributed to the formation of a sustainable digital ecosystem in Phu Tho, from digital government and digital economy to digital society.

Officers and employees of the Digital Data Center and the IOC system (Department of Information and Communications) research and analyze the province’s digital transformation indicators.

Determining that state agencies play an important role in strategic orientation, agencies, units, and localities have actively participated with high determination, specifically and clearly identifying and assessing the conditions of human resources, infrastructure, qualifications, and conditions for accessing technology of local people, thereby building realistic and appropriate digital transformation goals and tasks that need to be implemented. Provincial and district-level agencies and units have paid attention, issued directive documents, strengthened the Steering Committee for Digital Transformation, and developed plans with specific roadmaps as a basis for implementing digital transformation tasks with focus and key points.

In addition, state agencies also have many mechanisms and policies to support and accompany technology enterprises. For example, the Provincial People’s Committee has signed a cooperation agreement with the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) for the period of 2020-2025 to provide digital services, build e-government, and build a digital economy and digital society towards comprehensive digital transformation in all fields. The Provincial People’s Committee also assigned the Department of Information and Communications to preside over and coordinate with the Provincial Tax Department, the Department of Planning and Investment, and the Provincial Party Committee of the Enterprise Bloc to survey the current digital transformation situation in the area, then connect telecommunications and technology enterprises to promptly contact, deploy instructions, and directly support people and enterprises. The Department of Information and Communications and the Provincial Tax Department have also actively accompanied telecommunications enterprises and recognized their efforts in supporting digital transformation.

For its part, always identifying one of the core tasks of technology enterprises in Phu Tho as developing telecommunications infrastructure and digital network systems, large telecommunications enterprises in the province such as VNPT, Viettel, and Mobifone Company Region 4 have played an important role in expanding telecommunications infrastructure networks, connecting high-speed Internet to remote areas, creating a premise and solid foundation for digital transformation in all regions of the province.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Trung, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of Viettel Phu Tho, Phu Tho is one of the first localities where Viettel has implemented a comprehensive cooperation program, including digital transformation. Viettel has invested in and supported Phu Tho province so that the province’s digital transformation activities can be implemented effectively and substantially, making Phu Tho one of the localities with strong development in all three digital transformation pillars.

Specifically, in the digital society pillar, Viettel popularizes cashless payments to nearly millions of customers through the Viettel Money digital financial ecosystem, the school management system, online learning, electronic health books, and the social security program management system, all integrated on the national data platform, contributing to improving the quality and convenience for people when accessing social services.

As a leading unit in information security services in Vietnam, Viettel has provided a new generation security solution ecosystem, supporting early detection of risks and signs of fraud for organizations and businesses; along with that are communication activities and warnings about targeted phishing attacks and common forms of forgery to the community, helping people live and work more safely in the digital space.

Viettel’s booth at the 2023 Outstanding Enterprise Honoring Conference attracted many delegates to visit and experience.

With the goal of taking people and businesses as the center, VNPT’s digital ecosystem has covered all areas of life from digital government to digital education and digital healthcare... In particular, recently, VNPT launched a digital healthcare ecosystem with smart hospitals (VNPT OneHealth) and a digital education ecosystem with more than 20 products and services covering most of the important processes and operations of the education sector, helping managers, teachers, parents, and students have effective and modern platforms and tools to effectively support teaching and learning. vnEdu 4.0 has a complete set of solutions for the pillars: digital administration, digital teaching, and digital services.

As for MobiFone—a unit operating in the traditional telecommunications sector that is transforming into a digital technology enterprise—the enterprise is striving to bring more new products and services, actively contributing to the digital transformation in the province.

Mr. Tran Manh Ha - Director of the Digital Technology Business Center of MobiFone Service Company Region 4, Branch of MobiFone Telecommunications Corporation said that in the past time, MobiFone has coordinated and accompanied the Department of Information and Communications, the Provincial Tax Department and departments, branches, districts and towns to deploy many practical and effective digital transformation solutions and products aiming to serve people quickly and conveniently such as: VR360 Tour technology solution introducing “red addresses” and scenic spots in the province on AR/VR augmented reality technology; training management system, online learning and testing application; MobiFone Money cashless payment solution... MobiFone is still making every effort to perfect a digital ecosystem, aiming at a digital future for all people and businesses in the area.

Digital transformation is not only a strategy but also a strong driving force to promote Phu Tho’s comprehensive and sustainable development. The initial achievements in building a digital society, with close coordination between state agencies and technology enterprises, have demonstrated the province’s potential and determination in innovation. The provincial government plays a role in guiding, formulating policies, and providing support, while technology enterprises provide modern solutions to meet the specific development needs of the locality. From here, the advances in digital transformation in Phu Tho not only create momentum for the local socio-economic development but also contribute to realizing the national digital transformation goal, making Vietnam a digital nation by 2030.

Phuong Thuy