Cell phones are an essential part of travel nowadays. Whether it be for calling home, calling hotels, planning logistics, map surfing, navigating, or Facebook-ing, your cell phone is the one-stop resource for it all. Of course, every country has their own system, so for your stay in Vietnam, we have put together a simple 5-step process in understanding the ins and outs of cell phone usage.
1. THINK ABOUT YOUR PHONE
You have three options: bring an locked phone with you, bring an unlocked phone with you, or buy a relatively cheap phone here. If you bring a locked phone, make sure you understand the terms for international roaming. With an unlocked phone or a phone that you buy here, you can simply purchase a SIM card and have a local number. Keep in mind that the unlocked phone that you bring must be a GSM phone, but most phones are these days. Smart phones are beneficial here because you can have access to the 3G network.
2. FIND A SIM CARD
There are stalls, stores, booths, carts and even bicycles that will sell SIM cards the minute that you land in Vietnam (we are not exaggerating… there are establishments in and around the airport!). If you can wait a bit, ask the staff at your hotel or hostel to point you towards the nearest telecommunications store. The associates at the store will provide a SIM card for you, cut the card according to your phone and install it for you. For the best coverage, ensure that the SIM card you get is either on the Viettel, Mobifone or Vinafone networks. These three companies control 90% of the mobile market in Vietnam and offer great coverage throughout the country. Before you walk out of the store, make sure you check that the phone works.
Alternatively, check out this service – www.simcardasia.com. They will send you a SIM Card in the mail before your trip so that you can pass on your temporary number to family and friends before embarking on your journey. For Vietnam, the SIM Card they provide to you is on the Viettel network.
3. SET UP 3G
Fortunately, the three top mobile companies also provide decent 3G service in Vietnam. Having 3G can be extremely beneficial to navigate around, especially since Google Maps works very well in the cities. More importantly, you can be in constant touch with the outside world via Facebook, Twitter, or social outlet of your choice! And if you find yourself in a bind, you can access our XO Tours blog for travel advice on the go! The set up is a little bit tricky but not difficult. The basic procedure is the same for all companies but the details might differ. In general, you will have to send a text message along the lines of “3G ON” to a special network number (eg. *888) and then configure your phone’s settings, but many mobile stores will do it for you. If not, they will give you the detailed procedure so you can do it on your own.
4. UNDERSTAND THE USAGE RULES
There are very few differences between the companies as to how much local calls, international calls and text messages cost, and they are quite low. To give you an idea, on Mobifone, a phone call to a cell phone on another network is 1800VND/min and an international text message is 2500VND/text. The exact details can be found on their respective websites.
The initial SIM Card that you purchase will come with pre-paid minutes in a denomination that you choose. It will also come with an expiration so choose wisely. For instance, the 100,000 VND card may expire in 7 days and the 200,000 VND card may expire in 30 days. If you plan on being in Vietnam for around 1 month, it might be beneficial to choose the option that spans the entire time you will be here. Topping up your minutes is also quite easy. In order to top up, you can purchase a minutes card that looks like a ‘scratch-n-win’ card in any denomination that you want. When you scratch the card, it will reveal a 12 digit activation card. Then, simply enter *100*code# and ‘Send’. You will get a message instantly saying that your minutes have been topped up. Dial *101# to check your balance as you go.
5. UNDERSTAND THE PHONE NUMBERS
Once you have your phone ready to go, you will need to know how to dial phone numbers here as it may be different than what you are used to. Here are the basics -
Country Code: + 84
Trunk Prefix: 0
International Prefix: 00
Land Line format: Area Code (1 to 3 digits) + Phone Number (5 to 8 digits)
Cell Phone format: 09y xxx-xxxx or 01yy xxx-xxxx
FROM: Land Line TO: Local Land Line
Area Code + Phone Number
FROM: Land Line TO: Cell Phone
09y xxx-xxxx or 01yy xxx-xxxx
FROM: Cell Phone TO: Land Line
0 + Area Code + Phone Number
FROM: Cell Phone TO: Cell Phone
09y xxx-xxxx or 01yy xxx-xxxx
FROM: Anything TO: International Phone Number
00 + Country Code + (Area Code + Phone Number) or (Cell Phone format)
How to use a mobile phone in Vietnam in 5 easy steps!
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