Major mobile network operators in Vietnam have warned mobile users to avoid eagling and texting on lunar news year’ eve period to prevent network congestion.

In addition to the warning, Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone have said they will also increase network capacity during the Tet holiday to handle the surge of text messages and calls expected during the festive day.

VinaFone said it has completed the installation of 4,600 new base transceiver station (BTSs) to expand its coverage and capacity, while Viettel also announced it will increase its 3G network bandwidth during the Tet holiday.

VinaFone currently has a total of 28,500 BTSs with nationwide coverage.

The carrier said that its network allows download and upload speeds up to 21.6 and 5.76 megabits par second respectively, which will reduce the likelihood of congestion.

VinaFone also plans to deploy 60 mobile stations to places where large crowds are expected to gather to celebrate the New Year.

Viettel has made similar moves with plans to install an additional 100 3G data transmission stations and 70 mobile stations for the busiest time of the year.

Meanwhile, MobiFone has expanded it 2G and 3G networks with the addition of 1,000 new BTSs and has increased its 3G transmission speed in some cities to 21.6 Mbps.

This year, it is expected that many more people will turn to high-speed data services to share their party photos and videos thanks to the popularity of smart phones.

New mobile phone subscription in Vietnam have skyrocketed in recent years, reaching 19 million in 2006, 98 million in 2009 and more than 123 million by the end of September 2012.

The country currently has six mobile network operators Viettel, VinaFone, MobileFone, Vietnamobile, Gtel and Sfone.-VNA