Scenario: every subsea cable fault slows Vietnam’s international Internet — and behind each new landing runs a hundred-million-dollar investment with distinctive legal procedures. What “doors” must a subsea cable investment into Vietnam pass?
Submarine cable installation license: up to 25 years
Under Article 33 of Telecom Law 24/2023/QH15, the submarine cable installation license runs up to 25 years, issued to organizations installing submarine telecom cables landing in or crossing Vietnamese waters — the longest-lived operational telecom license, matching cable investment and depreciation cycles (typically 20–25 years).
Four procedure layers of a subsea cable
- Telecom licensing: the submarine installation license (≤25 years) under the 2023 Telecom Law; detailed procedures in Decree 163/2024/ND-CP.
- Sea-area use: routes through Vietnamese waters must conform to Law 82/2015/QH13 on marine resources and environment and the sea-area allocation regime (Decree 11/2021/ND-CP) — route surveys and cable laying need approvals.
- Landing station: an onshore work — requiring land (allocation/lease under Land Law 31/2024/QH15), construction permits, EIA, and connection to the national network.
- Security and defense: subsea cables are critical information infrastructure; marine survey and construction must coordinate with defense authorities and safeguard national security.
Investment model: the international consortium
Subsea cables are almost always built by an international consortium of carriers and investors from multiple countries pooling capital and sharing capacity pro rata. The deal’s legal frame: the consortium agreement (usually governed by English or Singapore law), IRU (indefeasible right of use) capacity contracts, plus Vietnamese-law compliance for the segment in Vietnamese waters and the landing station.
Distinctive risk: cable cuts and liability
Cuts from natural disasters, anchors or fishing are standing operational risks. Repair duties and cost allocation follow the consortium agreement; toward end users, carriers owe service-quality duties and backup-capacity plans via alternate routes. Consortium disputes go to arbitration per the agreement — usually international arbitration.
Frequently asked questions
1. What license does a subsea cable into Vietnam need?
A submarine cable installation license (up to 25 years) under Article 33 of Telecom Law 24/2023/QH15, plus sea-area use approvals and landing-station procedures.
2. Extra procedures for crossing Vietnamese waters?
Conformity with Law 82/2015/QH13 and the sea-area regime (Decree 11/2021/ND-CP); route surveys and laying need competent-authority approvals with defense coordination.
3. What does a landing station require?
Land (allocation/lease under Land Law 31/2024/QH15), construction permits, EIA and connection to the national telecom network.
4. What is the typical cable investment model?
An international consortium: multi-country carriers and investors pooling capital and sharing capacity pro rata, with IRU contracts and Vietnamese-law compliance for the domestic segment.
5. Who is responsible when a cable breaks?
Repair duties and cost allocation follow the consortium agreement; carriers owe users backup capacity. Disputes usually go to international arbitration.
This article has been quality-reviewed by the FLAW AI Legal Council.