Viettel looking to launch in Dominican Republic?

Viettel Corporation, which is wholly owned by the Vietnamese government via the Ministry of Defence, has reportedly submitted a proposal to the government of the Dominican Republic with a view to a possible launch of telephony services in the country. According to local news source Listin Diario, Viettel is understood to have put forward a plan to invest approximately USD300 million initially in launching services, with its proposal also believed to include the company offering free internet services to all public schools in the Dominican Republic. The report cites Miguel Mejia, the Dominican Republic’s minister of regional integration policy, as saying that President Danilo Medina had received the submission from Viettel, but it is suggested that a further meeting between representatives of the Vietnamese company and government officials is pending, prior to any more tangible developments.