A: First on our show today, we’d like to welcome to VOV Mr. Paul Simmons of Australia, a fan of shortwave broadcasts.

B: In a letter to VOV this week, Mr. Simmons wrote: “I’m 54 years old and live in the town of Mount Barker, about 40 km east of the city of Adelaide, which is the capital city of the State of South Australia. I have been involved in shortwave since I was a teenager, however I have not done any serious listening for many years. I also have an amateur radio license.”

A: Thank you, Mr. Simmons, for tuning in to VOV and sending us a report for the program on January 29 on the frequency of 9840 khz. We’ll confirm your report with a QSL card and send you our program schedule and frequency list.

B: Our program is also available on our website at vovworld.vn or vov5.vn and on mobile app called “VOV Media”. We hope to hear from you frequently.

A: We also thank you for sending some very beautiful pictures of kangaroos and birds.

B: We’d like to welcome back Mr. Malik Allah Bachaya Khokhar of a Radio Listeners’ Club of Pakistan. It’s has been months since we last heard from you. Malik wrote: “I’m a regular listener to your English service. I listen to your program daily. All the programs are very informative and interesting. I also listen to them on the internet.”

A: It’s great to hear from you, Malik, after such a long time. We look forward to your regular reports on our programs. Please keep in touch.

B: Siddhartha Bhattacharjee of India, one of our regular listeners, sent us several receptions reports on our broadcasts on the frequency of 7220 khz from 16:00 to 16:30. In one of his emails, he asked about telecom companies in Vietnam.

High-ranking delegation from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea visits Viettel's civil equipment research and production complex on February 28, 2019 (Source: VNA)

A: The military-run company Viettel is one of only 50 telecom companies in the world to deploy the narrowband internet of things (NB-IoT), a technology developed for devices supporting IoT connectivity. The announcement was made by the Global System Mobile Association (GSMA) ahead of the 2019 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, this month.

B: Last December, Viettel activated the first 30 base transceiver stations (BTSs) in Hanoi to provide services using NB-IoT technology.

A: The IoT infrastructure and platform will be ready for customers in Hanoi and HCM City in the first quarter of 2019 before the company invests elsewhere in Vietnam and overseas.

B: Viettel is now also testing some applications based on IoT connectivity and infrastructure, such as smart parking, air monitoring, location tracking, and metering devices, creating a basis for developing and exploiting an IoT services ecosystem in the future.

A: Viettel is ranked among the 15 largest telecom companies in the world in terms of subscribers and among the top 40 in terms of revenue. It has invested in 10 foreign markets with a total population of 240 million in Asia, Africa and the Americas.
It plans to serve a population of 400-500 million and become one of the world’s 10 largest telecoms firms by 2020.

B: With nearly 100 million subscribers, Viettel has expanded its operations to the telecom electronics industry, the high-tech weapons industry and the cyber security industry.

A: This week many listeners asked about popular physical activities in Vietnam. In today’s Letter Box, we’ll take a look yoga.

Yoga has become more popular in Vietnam in recent years

B: Aerial Yoga has become increasingly popular in Vietnam these days. The biggest difference between traditional yoga and Aerial Yoga is where it is practiced. Traditional yoga is done on a mat on the floor. Aerial Yoga poses are done in a hammock.

A: According to Dinh Cong Phung, one of the first five certified Aerial Yoga teachers in Vietnam, who works the at Om Factory Yoga Studio, the silk hammock is very resilient so it doesn’t cause pain when you practice. It’s safe to use the hammock as it is held up by carabineers, support chains, and webbing straps, which can support up to 500 kilos of weight. You can adjust the distance from the floor to the hammock depending on your height and the difficulty of the Aerial Yoga poses.

Dinh Cong Phung, one of the first five certified Aerial Yoga teachers in Vietnam

B: Practicing Aerial Yoga can be intimidating at first, but it is really rewarding. Because it involves the muscles of the arms, legs, and belly to balance throughout the session, it strengthens your muscles and keeps you in shape. It’s also a good stress reliever and after a work out, you will definitely feel more energetic.

A: More and more people are learning Aerial Yoga. It only takes an hour a day of practicing with a silk hammock to rejuvenate your body and your soul. Give it a try and enhance your strength and flexibility while having great fun.

B: Laughter Yoga, which combines Unconditional Laughter with Yogic Breathing, is the brainchild of Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician from Mumbai, India. There are now more than 6,000 Laughter Yoga Clubs in 60 countries. Laughter Yoga was introduced to Vietnam by Le Anh Son, now head of the Hanoi Laughter Yoga Club.

A: In a busy life full of pressures, the Hanoi Laughter Yoga Club provides a relaxing atmosphere where people can become happier and healthier together, while improving their outlook and communication. Men and women of all ages surround the instructor, who performs funny antics to make them laugh. They clap their hands, breath yogically, hold their mouths open for several minutes, move their bodies and explode with laughter. They walk around and make funny faces to stimulate others to laugh harder.

B: The exercise combines laughter with breathing, which has a profound impact on the cardiovascular system and internal organs. A Laughter Yoga session once a day creates positive energy that makes it easier to cope with the stress of daily life and shields participants from depression.

A: The Vietnamese have a saying that a smile is worth 10 doses of medicine. This is the central concept of Laughter Yoga, which is helping people achieve a healthier, more energized life.  

B: Next on today’s show, we’d like to acknowledge letters and emails from Jayanta Chakrabarty, Radha Rani, and Adalas Das of India and Shyamal Kumar Banerjee of Pakistan.

A: We’ll send you all QSL cards to confirm your reports. We welcome your feedback at English service, VOVWorld, Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Our email address is englishsection@vov.org.vn. Thank you for listening to VOV on shortwave and following us online. Goodbye until next time.