Q-Store for the cemetery

An Binh Telecom Company Limited (ABTel) and VTC Mobile abruptly announced the halting of Q-Store after six months of service.
The move raised a question whether Q-Store’s early death comes from less-effective cooperation.

Back in May 2011, VTC Mobile and ABTel inked an agreement on strategic cooperation in five years to build up Q-Store for Q-Mobile handset users (www.q-store.vn).

Besides, the two sides undertook to team up in developing VTC ibuum free message application and other benefits to Q-Mobile lines and bring VTC e-card payment into Q-Mobile distribution channel across the country.

At the time the agreement was signed, ABTel’s managing director Nguyen Quang Minh said Q-Store’s development marked ABTel’s shift from a specialised terminal equipment provider to a pilot solution provider with diverse added value services in a mobile background.

VTC Mobile director Nguyen Ngoc Bao said the birth of Q-Store would serve as a driving force to spur growth in Q-Mobile and VTC services user community, from there entailing multiple business opportunities to both application developer and mobile-based digital content provider.

However, after six months in operation from mid-February 2012, both VTC Mobile and ABTel decided on halting Q-Store’s business from August 31, 2012.

Q-Store management pledged to ensure the interests of all partners and customers who are using Q-Store services at this time.

The management has attributed its lower-than-expected business results the core reason behind the move. Besides, in the face of robust development of smart phones running on Android management system phone users can turn to Google Play Store for their every need.

The decision to stop Q-Store operation came right after ABTel announced its business strategy conversion focusing on promoting smart phone Q-Smart lines.

“Through terminating Q-Store service provision we want to restructure development resources giving more practical services to users, matching current tendency,” said Le Quoc Kien, media leader at ABTel.

“Q-Store stoppage will not hurt VTC Mobile as Q-Store is just one of a portfolio of over 300 services VTC Mobile is providing,” said Vo Tu Duc, a VTC representative.