The Hanoitimes -  Vietnam ranks 18th in the world top 20 countries using the internet, with over 30 percent of its population surfing the worldwide web.

According to the Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre (VNNIC), by the end of June, the number of internet users reached a whopping 31 million (35.4 percent of the population), of which 4.3 million are landline broadband subscribers.

The ranking maintains the country’s 8th place in Asia and 3rd place in Southeast Asia, according to the VNNIC- which is affiliated with the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC).

VNNIC director Tran Minh Tam said better network infrastructure and services were behind the increasing number of users, which have helped the country maintain its position in recent years.

“Internet service providers are offering more types of internet access with wider coverage, instead of the orthodox ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscription Line), he said.

Vu The Binh, director of NetNam- a prominent internet service provider- explained that “While global economies, including Vietnam, are still in difficulty, it is very encouraging that Vietnam is in a high position of internet development.”

Binh said good pricing policies, especially applied to 3G (third generation network) wireless access, will further increase the number of internet users.

According to the MIC’s internet development plan, landline broadband currently reaches 6-8 subscribers per 100 people, and the figure will increase significantly to 15-20 in the coming years.

Meanwhile, the number of households accessing the internet is currently at 35-40 percent of total households, and will increase to 45-50 percent by 2020.