After 11 years of preparation and nearly 8 years of negotiation, Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) on January 11, 2007 . As a condition of WTO entry, Vietnam committed to reduce tariffs and other barriers on a variety of goods and services, including those in the information, communication, and technology (ICT) sector. Vietnam joined WTO's Information Technology Agreement (ITA) for the ICT sector, eliminating tariffs on a wide range of IT products. Vietnam 's services commitments enable telecom carriers to hold a majority share for the provision of most basic and value added telecommunication services. Finally, Vietnam 's regulatory process will become more transparent as a result of WTO membership, and the country is now subject to the WTO's dispute settlement process, which promises to improve investor confidence in the country.

Vietnam 's WTO entry will certainly improve operating conditions there and provide incentives for TIA members to enter the market. In 2003, Vietnam 's telecommunications revenues totaled $1.5 billion, but with total Internet and wireless penetration each at only 5.3 percent of the market, the country is ripe for ICT investment. Annual telecom growth in the country now exceeds 25 percent, and the International Telecommunication Union rates Vietnam as the second-fastest growing market after China . In the coming years the Vietnam government has pledged to invest $4 to $6 million to upgrade its telecommunications networks. The government also has ambitious plans for its Internet sector, with $127 million allotted for expanding the Internet into remote areas.

As part of its “Global Market Services” program, TIA is developing a series of market research reports to educate members about the benefits of exporting. TIA published the first report in the series, “Doing Business in South Korea ,” in early April. It discussed opportunities in Korea 's highly-developed ICT market. In contrast, the next report will examine trends in Vietnam 's underdeveloped but rapidly growing ICT sector, where landline, wireless and Internet penetration currently represent only a small share of the population. The Vietnam report will be published this July.

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