Hanoi (VNA) - The information technology (IT) and telecoms sector has emerged as abright spot amid the COVID-19 pandemic as companies have quickly optimisedopportunities to move ahead and develop sustainably.

According to theBIDV Securities Company (BSC), the pandemic has sped up digital transformationand investment in technologies at many businesses, while facilitating the sustainabledevelopment of tech enterprises that have pioneered providing solutions,platforms, services, and products for digital transformation.

The rising movetowards digital transformation is expected to help such firms as FPT and CMCbenefit from software exports.

FPT’s growth remainedin the double digits last year despite the pandemic, with turnover at 29.83trillion VND (1.29 billion USD) and pre-tax profit 5.26 trillion VND, increasesof 7.6 percent and 12.8 percent, respectively. Net profit rose 13.1 percent to4.22 trillion VND.

Of note, digitaltransformation contributed 3.21 trillion VND to turnover, up 31 percent against2019.

In the tech spherein particular, its turnover was some 13.9 trillion VND, up 23 percentyear-on-year. Customer numbers also grew nearly 19 percent, while the number ofprojects worth millions of US dollars rose nearly 29 percent.

BSC said ithopes domestic enterprises with “Made in Vietnam” products will be prioritisedin the Government’s digital transformation project.

Tech biddingpackages, it said, are expected to be stepped up this year thanks to public andannual investments in technologies.

Packages for 11 roadroutes will total 4 trillion VND, focusing on services such as smart transport,administration, management, and automated toll collection.

Fixed broadbandand 5G services will also drive growth among businesses operating in thetelecoms sector.

The Ministry ofInformation and Communications said the sector earned more than 130 trillionVND last year, up 0.3 percent against 2019.

Between 2016 and2020, fixed broadband rose 15 percent each year while mobile broadband grew 22percent.

As of January, Vietnamhad more than 1 million km of cable spanning all villages, communes, and wards.Mobile phone services covered 99.81 percent of the national population, while 98percent of the population had access to 3G and 4G services.

According toBSC, major telecoms providers like Viettel, Vinaphone, and MobiFone will expand5G services nationwide after partially launching services in Hanoi and Ho Chi MinhCity.

To promote 5Gdevelopment, the ministry has proposed the Government issue a decree on radiofrequency fee collections and the auction and transfer of the right to useradio frequencies.

The deploymentof 5G service is hoped to accelerate the building of e-government while servingas a prerequisite for promoting telecoms infrastructure and helping businesseswith digital transformation, BSC said.

Telecom firmsposted strong growth last year despite COVID-19.

Specifically,Viettel’s total turnover exceeded 264 trillion VND, a year-on-year increase of4.4 percent and representing 102.4 percent of the annual target.

Pre-tax profitwas 39.8 trillion VND, up 4.1 percent and 103.9 percent of the annual target.

The group postedgrowth of 6.4 percent in the telecom sector; nearly double the global average.

Its overseasinvestment also rose 24.4 percent, or six times higher than the global average,earning it nearly 42 trillion VND.

The Vietnam Postand Telecommunications Group (VNPT) also recorded positive growth, with totalturnover hitting 162.7 trillion VND./.