The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has approved MobiFone Telecommunications Corporation’s request to add the number “1” after the 090 and 093 prefixes, resulting in an additional 2 million 10-digit numbers being provided to the domestic market.

It’s hoped the move will further develop the subscription network, Deputy Minister Le Nam Thang said on January 9.

In 2014, the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) submitted a request to the MIC to add the numerals 0 and 1 after the 090 and 093 prefixes for MobiFone and 091 and 094 for Vinaphone. The two mobile operators expect to have additional 8 million subscribers.

Meanwhile, the military telecom group Viettel asked the MIC to add the numerals 0 and 1 after its 098, 097 and 096 prefixes, hoping to secure an additional 6 million subscribers.

If the requests to add numerals 0 and 1 after the prefixes from 090 to 099 are all approved, the mobile market will have the opportunity to add 20 million 10-digit numbers to its network.

Launched in 1993, MobiFone was the first telecommunications company operating in Vietnam. According to the 2013 ICT White Book, MobiFone was the second largest mobile network operator with 21.4 percent of the market share, following only Viettel with 40.5 percent.-VNA