The Vietnamese big names
Though the Vietnamese software industry has been criticized for developing too slowly, a lot of its Vietnamese names have become well-known to users. CMCSoft, Effect, FPT IS, Hai Hoa, MISA, Neo, Pythis, Schoolnet and Tinh Van are the biggest names in the application software market segment. Meanwhile, the names of BKAV, CMC InfoSec, FPT IS, iNet, Lac Viet, VTC Mobile and AVSoft Corp would be cited when talking about utility software products.
General Director of FPT Group Truong Gia Binh said that FPT IS, a subsidiary of the technology group, has involved in building most of the biggest information systems of the nation, such as the personal income tax payment management and e-customs clearance.
CMC Soft has launched a series of application software products, such as eocman Plus – the software for document and file management, C-Office – the software for business information management, or eDocman One – the one-stop-shop administration management
A lot of made-in-Vietnam products have reached out to the world market. AV Soft Corp’s utility products for audio processing, for example, have been highly appreciated by prestigious software downloading websites. Especially, CNET, the owner of www.download.com, has given four stars to the products.
Hardware manufacturers still struggle to survive
According to the Ministry of Information and Communication, there are nine enterprises making and supplying computer, network equipments, peripheral devices (CMC, FPT Elead, Hanel, Huetronics, Khai Tri, Kunkun, Robo, VTB and VTC Mobile), two enterprises that make audio and video electronics (Tien Dat, VTB), two enterprises specializing in making household electronics (BKAV, Huetronics).
Besides, there are five enterprises making multimedia telecoms and electronics (ABTel, Hanel, Viettel, VKX and VTC Telecom), four enterprises making electronics parts and accessories (ABTel, HD Vietnam, Huetronics and VTB).
According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), electronic hardware was one of the leading export items in the first nine months of the year. Vietnam exported 8.6 billion dollars worth of mobile phone and phone accessories, 5.4 billion dollars worth of computer, computer accessories and electronics.
However, the figures do not mean that Vietnam has a developed hardware industry. Vietnam still cannot manufacture hardware products, while it just simply assembles the parts imported from other countries for re-exported to the world market.
When asked about the current situation of the hardware industry development, a member of the Vietnam Electronics Enterprises’ Association admitted that the industry is on the decline.
The “Made-in-Vietnam computer” dream which Vietnamese enterprises cherished for many years seems to fall into the “dead faint”. Some years ago, local newspapers, quoting the executives of some big companies, affirmed that the age of the computer industry in Vietnam began with the launching of a lot of new laptop and desktop computer products, including CMS (developed by CMC-CMS), Vietcom (Huetronics), Wiscom (Khai Tri) and Robo.
However, the names have quickly fallen into oblivion after they were refused by Vietnamese consumers, who believed that the products, though bearing Vietnamese brands, were actually made in China. Therefore, the products do not have the Vietnamese grey matter, and therefore, are not the “products of Vietnam.”
However, experts say Vietnam never intends to give up the dream of making Vietnamese high technology products.
Some Vietnamese technology groups, instead of importing foreign products and labeling them as Vietnamese products, have decided to start the product development from the very beginning.
TMA Software Company has set up a research and development center capitalized at five million dollars in the HCM City High-Tech Park. The Quang Trung Software Park has joined forces with the US HP Group to build a globally scaled software research and development center
Source: Vietnamnet
|