There are three main cellular communication companies in this country, and none of them is multinational, that is, it came to the market from abroad. It:
- Mobifone;
- Vinaphone;
- Viettel (Vietnam Military Telecommunications).
The quality of mobile communication in the country is at a surprisingly good level, especially considering that the country is going through a permanent financial crisis. Coverage problems arise, and regularly, but for those who use cellular communications in Russia, this will not cause any particular inconvenience. Everything is tolerable, and even more than that - almost comfortable. The only chronic problem is the delay and non-delivery of SMS messages.
Where is the best place to buy a SIM card
Cards are sold in large cities absolutely everywhere - from large stores and official salons to small shops and individual dealers. But pay attention to the fact that only a local resident can freely buy a local SIM card by law.
Fortunately, the law is observed only in official mobile phone stores. There, according to all the rules, a tourist will be given a special card - it costs $ 12 and the tourist tariff is immediately “sewn up” in it. In all other places, buying a regular SIM card is not a problem. Cook 70-100 thousand dong and use it to your health.
Mobile tariffs for tourists
Local cellular communications from Vietnamese operators are unambiguously convenient, if only by the fact that in all tariffs the price of calls to Russia (and other post-Soviet countries) does not exceed 8,000 dong (20 rubles).
Approximate sameness of tariffs is another plus in the treasury of holidays spent in this country. No matter what operator you buy, you will definitely not be able to overpay for calls to your homeland, unlike domestic roaming (from 120 rubles per minute).
You can recharge your new SIM card by buying a regular card with an erasable stripe at any press stall or store.
How to call Vietnam from Russia
The dialing code for Vietnam for international calls is 84. Please note that when calling a landline phone, you will need the area code of the called party.
To mobile phone
- Elementary: we dial before the phone number +84 - the country code. Then the mobile number without the "eight".
To a landline phone
According to Russian standards, dial 8 first, then wait for a beep. After - 10 and 84 (Vietnam code), then the area code and the number itself.
Here are some codes for the main tourist centers in Vietnam:
- Hanoi - 4;
- Ho Chi Minh - 8;
- Dalat - 63;
- Vung Tau - 64.
How to call Russia from Vietnam
The call algorithm is completely similar to a call from Russia, with the only difference being that the prefix numbers change.
To mobile phone
The call occurs without changes - direct dialing through +7, then the cell number.
To a landline phone
By the way, one of the most profitable options for calling Russian landlines- from a payphone. A payment card can be bought in any store for 100,000 VND, it has several hours of conversations.
We dial the number: 00 (to access the international line), 7 (Russian code), city prefix and landline (landline) phone number. Example: 00-7-495-1234567.
Friends, in Vietnam, a SIM card costs $5 (VND 100,000) and you can buy it at any mobile phone office. There is absolutely no difference which company: Viettel, Mobifone, Vinafone.
Previously, SIM cards were freely sold in any supermarket and at the airport and travel agencies (Perhaps they are still being sold). Now, in order for the SIM card to work, you need to come to the cellular office with a passport and sign an agreement.
I'll tell you my experience of connecting to the Internet. If you are not satisfied internet wi-fi which is present almost everywhere in Nha Trang: in hotels, restaurants in shopping centers.
I do not have enough external third-party Internet via wi-fi - since I always have to be in touch, even if the electricity is cut off abruptly! Although power outages are not frequent in Nha Trang a couple of times a year.
So how to connect Mobile Internet for iPad or iPhone or for laptop (then via 3G modem)
1. We buy a sim card and cut it to the desired size (if for an iPad or iPhone). I will help you cut it correctly where you bought the SIM card.
I bought a SIM from a mobile operator: "Mobifon" for 95,000 vnd
2. We replenish the balance for the required amount.
I topped up 200,000 vnd
How to replenish the balance? In shops or travel agencies in Nha Trang, paper cards are sold for each operator, different in denomination: 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000 dong. Such cards used to be in Russia: you need to erase the silver paint under which the secret code.
Then on the phone dial: *100* secret number# call. After that, an SMS comes stating that the money has been credited to the account.
3. Choose a tariff plan and send SMS.
If your mobile operator is Vinaphone
0.6 GB price 70,000 VND - send SMS "DK MAX" to 888;
1.2 GB price 100,000 VND - send SMS "DK MAX100" to 888;
3 GB price 200,000 VND - send SMS "DK MAX200" to 888.
If your mobile operator: Viettel
0.6 GB price 70,000 VND - send SMS "MiMax" to 191;
1.2 GB price 90,000 VND - send SMS "MiMax90" to 191;
1.5 GB price 120,000 VND - send SMS "Dmax" to 191;
3 GB price 200,000 VND - send SMS "Dmax200" to 191.
If your mobile operator: Mobifone
0.6 GB price 70,000 VND - send SMS "DK MIU" to 999;
1.5 GB price 120,000 VND - send SMS "DK M120" to 999;
3 GB price 200,000 VND - send SMS "DK BMIU" to 999.
I chose the third option for Mobifon for 200,000 and I can say that all sites open well - quickly, but the video is viewed poorly. This is still not an option for working on the Internet, but in order to always be in touch or look for information.
I have an iPad - SMS is not sent from it, so at first I did all the manipulations with replenishing the account and choosing a tariff on the phone, and then I moved the SIM card to the iPad.
When a month passes and the mobile Internet turns off, I again follow the steps described above with the SIM card through the phone, and then rearrange it again into the iPad
and finally
How to call Russia from Vietnam?
dial: +7 and a phone number without the first eight, for example: +7 495 3456789
The cost of 1 minute of a call to Russia is almost the same for all mobile operators: Vietel, Mobifon, Vinafon = 5,000 VND.
How to check the account balance on the phone in Vietnam?
Dial: *101# call
After that, an SMS will come with information about the state of the balance on the SIM card.
In Vietnam, three major mobile operators GSM communications, which operate throughout the country and control 90% of the market. These are Mobifone, Vinaphone and Viettel. There is practically no difference in tariffs among them, except for a small difference in coverage, but this only applies to any remote places. In all major tourist centers, the quality of communication is identical.
There is no internal roaming in Vietnam and, having bought a SIM card in Ho Chi Minh City, you can travel all over the country with it and use it in Hanoi at the same tariffs.
In the post I will tell you where you can buy a SIM card, how to top up your balance, how to connect mobile Internet and how much it costs to call Russia. The information is current as of March 2019.
Travel sim card
If you have arrived for a short time, then there is not much point in buying a regular SIM card. You will need a tourist one, which is sold at all airports, as well as in tourist information centers, for example, in the Russian Information Center. With a tourist SIM card, you will receive a package of Internet and international calls, and after your departure, it will simply stop working. A tourist SIM card will be more expensive than a regular one with the same amount of traffic by about 100,000 VND, but in addition to traffic, you will receive minutes for calls to regular phones to other countries, as well as telephone support in several languages (unfortunately, not in Russian). Here are the prices and conditions for tourist SIM cards from the main operators:
Viettel:
The cost of the card is from 100,000 to 200,000 VND, plus you will need to activate one of the packages:
| Price | Internet | Local calls | Inter-calls | Term of the work |
| 100 000 | 1 GB | 20 minutes | 10 min | 5 days |
| 200 000 | 2 GB | 40 min | 20 minutes | 10 days |
| 300 000 | 3 GB | 60 min | 30 minutes | 15 days |
| 500 000 | 5 GB | 100 min | 50 min | 25 days |
Vinaphone:
A SIM card costs VND 300,000 and includes 8 GB of internet, 80 local minutes, 80 SMS and 50 minutes for calls to other countries. The SIM card will work for 30 days.
Mobifone:
This SIM card has its own Way2go Vietnam brand. It costs VND250,000 and includes 6 GB of internet, 60 local minutes, 100 local SMS and 30 minutes for calls to other countries. Will work 30 days.
It is much faster to issue a tourist SIM card than a regular one. This may be another argument in favor of its purchase. But if you came to Vietnam for several months, you will need to issue a regular SIM card.
Where can I buy a regular SIM card
Previously, it was not difficult to buy a SIM card in Vietnam; they were sold even in the smallest street shops. The locals bought them with their passports and resold them. After November 2016, when the authorities blocked more than 12 million such SIM cards, it is very difficult to find them. It is easier to go to the operator's office and issue a SIM card there. Do not believe if you are told that only a Vietnamese can issue a SIM card, I personally applied for a SIM card in the operator's salon in Nha Trang on my own passport and there were no problems. Mobile phone stores Mobifone, Vinaphone and Viettel can be easily found on Google maps.
Balance replenishment
You can top up your balance at the cash desks of chain stores (for example, VinMart), and you can also buy top-up cards in private roadside shops. We just say “Mobifone Fifty Fountain”, which means that we have a Mobifone operator and we want to put 50,000 VND into the account. And they give us a card for this amount. To replenish the account, we erase the protective layer from the card and see the code. Instructions for activating the card are written on the card itself. For Mobifon this is: *100*code number#call, find out the balance: *101#call.
When you request an SMS with a balance, you will receive a lot of different numbers - do not be alarmed, in addition to the main account, you have promotional accounts. Here is a transcript of the mysterious abbreviations:
- TKC - "tài khoản chính" (main account, your money): you can use this money to connect to various services and to call other networks.
- KM1 - "Khuyến mại 1" (promo account 1): used for on-net calls, SMS, MMS and more.
- KM2 - "Khuyến mại 2" (promo account 2): used for calls, SMS, MMS and other within the VNPT network (Mobifone, Vinaphone).
- KM3 - "Khuyến mại 3" (promo account 3): used for calls, SMS, MMS and other things within Vietnam (like to all local operators, but not sure exactly).
When the main account is empty, promotional accounts are not active.
Mobile internet in Vietnam
All major mobile operators in Vietnam provide mobile Internet services using the 4G standard. The quality of the Internet is so good that in some cases it can act as a replacement bad internet In a hotel.
About tariffs and how to connect traffic packages, it is written on the websites of operators. In order to make it more convenient for you, I have written out some packages with the cost and instructions for connecting here.
- Vinaphone:
- 5 GB for VND 70,000 - SMS "DK DMAX" to 888;
- 9 GB for VND 100,000 - SMS "DK DMAX100" to 888;
- 20 GB for VND 200,000 - SMS "DK DMAX200" to 888.
- Mobifone:
- 3.8 GB for VND 70,000 - SMS "DK HD70" to 999;
- 5.5 GB for VND 90,000 - SMS "DK HD90" to 999;
- 8.8 GB for VND 1,20,000 - SMS "DK HD120" to 999;
- 16.5 GB for VND 200,000 - SMS "DK HD200" to 999.
- Viettel:
- 3 GB for VND 70,000 - SMS "Mimax70" for 191;
- 5 GB for 9,000 VND - SMS "Mimax90" to 191;
- 8 GB for VND 125,000 - SMS "Mimax125" for 191;
- 15 GB for VND 200,000 - SMS "Mimax200" to 191.
- Vinaphone: https://my.vinaphone.com.vn/Payment/Introduce4G ;
- Viettel: https://www.vietteltelecom.vn/di-dong/goi-cuoc-3g (no English, use Google site translator).
If your phone does not automatically connect to the internet, then here are the settings for the main carriers:
Vinaphone:
Name: Vinaphone
APN (access point): m3-world
Username: mms
Password: mms
Mobifone:
Name: Mobi Gprs
APN (access point): m-wap
Username: mms
Password: mms
Viettel:
Name: Viettel
APN (access point): V-internet
If these settings do not help, then you will need to contact the salon of a mobile operator or a store that sells mobile phones and ask you to set up your mobile Internet. Fortunately, everything more phones automatically receive all settings.
International calls
In the era of instant messengers, making a regular call to another country is a bit strange. However, there are times when there is no other way. To save on a call, it is better to use VoIP - this is when a call to another country goes via the Internet, although for you everything looks like you are just calling from a phone. However, the difference between such a call and an ordinary international call in Vietnam is not big: for example, Mobifone VoIP to Russia costs 3,960 VND per minute. And the usual international call will cost 4,114 VND. Approximately the same cost for calls to Ukraine and Kazakhstan and a little more expensive to Belarus. Prices are for everyone Russian numbers, except for those with operator code 954. For this unlucky code, the price is 5-6 times higher. The same for Belarusian codes 33344 and 602.
Mobifone and Vinaphone have VoIP. To call via Mobifone, dial 131 + 00 + country code + phone number. To call via Vinaphone 171 + 00 + country code + phone number.
What is the connection in Vietnam, what are the operators, where you can buy a SIM card in Vietnam, what are the offers for Internet packages in Vietnam and how can you do without a cellular SIM card in Vietnam. Coming to rest in Vietnam in Nha Trang, we want and we just need to be constantly in touch with relatives in Russia, in this case we advise you to purchase a local cellular SIM card in Vietnam.
This article is a continuation of a series of articles about Nha Trang. I also advise you to read other useful articles:,.
Compared to neighboring countries such as China and Thailand, mobile telephony and mobile internet in Vietnam are very cheap. Just buy a prepaid card on the street and you can make a phone call to Russia for cheap - 4000 VND per minute. Internal calls to landlines and mobile numbers with a prepaid SIM card - about 1300 VND per minute. Mobile operators in Vietnam often hold promotions, for example, when you buy a scratch card to recharge your account, you get 50% more calls. Follow the promotions on the operator's website. Operators also notify about promotions by sending SMS.
What is the connection in Vietnam? What are the cell phone operators in Vietnam?
There are not so many large mobile operators in Vietnam. There are only three of them - Mobifone, Vinaphone and Viettel. They are the main GSM operators in Vietnam and offer quality service as well as reliable mobile internet services. Almost like ours... Megafon, Beeline and MTS. Using mobile Internet in Vietnam is very convenient. The above three operators offer 3G networks (HSDPA) with a low cost of mobile Internet - about VND 60,000 per 1 GB.
If you want to call Russia from a mobile phone, then there are enough favorable rates local sim cards. For example, 1 minute of conversation is 4000 VND. Although recently more and more tourists prefer to contact their relatives and friends via the Internet. There are many programs and instant messengers that practically replace calls to a mobile phone, and holders of such SIM cards in Vietnam save money.
There are three options:
- tourist sim card;
- SIM card for calls to Russia to mobile phones and calls within Vietnam;
- sim card only for the Internet, communication via Skype, Viber, WhatsApp.
Dreamsim travel sim card
Drimsim is a universal SIM card for any country in the world. They are not tied to any operator, which means that if you landed in another country, it catches the local network and is ready to go. This SIM card does not have roaming, it works directly with networks, so the prices for calls and the Internet are cheaper (like local tour operators, only all controls can be carried out in Russian). There is mobile app to keep track of your expenses. There is no subscription fee, admission is free. You can buy online through the website. The advantage is that with the same SIM card you can then go to another country, and the money will remain on your balance (for example, calls in Europe cost 0.01 €).
- Internet 0.030€/mb
- Incoming call 0.00€/min
- SMS to Drimsim 0.40€/SMS
Where to buy a SIM card in Vietnam
Usually SIM cards in Vietnam are bought in supermarkets. They are always at the checkout. However, in addition to large supermarkets, a SIM card in Vietnam can be purchased even in small street shops. Unlike our SIM cards, in Vietnam you do not need to present documents to purchase mobile communication cards. The average cost of a SIM card in Vietnam is 70,000-130,000 VND. At the same time, some part of this amount will already be in your account, and you will be able to immediately use the communication services. No activations are required.
In fact, registration is required in order to use Internet package offers, etc. But stores often sell SIM cards that are already activated. These sim cards are new, but the stores have already registered the sim cards under someone else's name, so you don't have to take any action to activate them. In general, in any tourist area in Vietnam, as well as from street vendors, you can buy a SIM card without documents and activations.
The only negative is that the SIM card data is not cut off for micro and nano slots. Therefore, if you are the owner of the latest generation smartphone, you will have to cut the SIM card in Vietnam yourself, or contact the mobile operator's office. I already cut the SIM card myself 2 times on the video on YouTube. Nothing complicated. In the official store, a SIM card is issued according to a passport.
What types of SIM cards are there in Vietnam
Consider an example. Buying a SIM card for calls (no documents required) costs 80,000 dong, Vinaphone operator. The balance is distributed as follows: 30,000 for calls abroad (Russia) and 50,000 for calls within Vietnam.
If you buy a SIM card for the Internet in Vietnam, you can only make calls from it within the network if you put extra money. Cost - 60,000 VND, operator Vinaphone. Internet traffic - 10 gigabytes. For tariff changes, see the official website of Mobifone.
Communication in Vietnam: how to top up the balance
To top up your mobile phone balance in Vietnam, you need to buy a scratch card at any store or communication office and enter the code into your mobile phone. Cards come in different payment amounts. You probably remember how it was in the early 2000s. Well, Vietnam hasn't gone far since then.
- To replenish the balance, dial *100*code number# Call. For example, if your code is "123456789", then you must enter *100*123456789# and press the send key.
- To check balance for Vinaphone and Mobifone dial *101# Call.
After calling this command, you will receive an SMS containing a lot of numbers. Your balance is listed on the first line. The rest of the lines are promo accounts.
How to connect mobile internet in Vietnam
How to connect internet in Vietnam on Mobifone?
If you bought a Mobifone SIM card in Vietnam, then the Internet is credited to your account by sending an SMS. Depending on what SMS you send, how many MB you will receive. All SMS are sent to number 999.
- "Dk miu" - the cost of the service is 70,000 VND - 600 MB of mobile Internet.
- "Dk M120" - the cost of the service is 120,000 VND - 1.5 GB of mobile Internet.
- "D5" - the cost of the service is 5000 VND / day - 1 GB of mobile Internet.
- "KT DATA" - check how many MB of Internet are left.
Travel SIM card Mobifone
Mobifone sell travel sim cards called "Happy Tourist". They cost 250,000 VND and come in 2 types:
- "Happy Tourist" internet only: 3 GB for 30 days, then 9.77 VND for every 50 KB.
- "Happy Tourist" Internet and calls: 1.5 GB and 80,000 VND for 30 days, then 25 VND for every 50 KB.
How to connect internet in Vietnam on Vinaphone?
Vinaphone suitable for those who are going to visit major cities in Vietnam. If you bought a Vinaphone SIM card in Vietnam, then all service SMS are sent to number 888 in the format “XXX”, where XXX is the package you need. For example, if you want to buy a U30 package (3.5 GB per month), you need to send “U30” to 888. Then you will receive a confirmation code by SMS, on which you will need to send a response in the following format “DK U30 XXX”, where XXX is the confirmation code.
- M10: VND 5,000, 50 MB
- M25: VND 25,000, 150 MB
- M50: VND 50,000, 500 MB
- M120: VND 120,000, 1.5 GB
- MAX: VND 70,000, 600 MB
- MAX100: VND 100,000 1.2 GB
- MAX200: VND 200,000 3 GB
How to connect the Internet in Vietnam on Viettel?
Cellular operator in Vietnam Viettel at the present time - the largest and only cellular communication, which is also developed in neighboring countries - Cambodia, Laos, Haiti, Peru. It has very good coverage in the countryside. And also this is the only connection that catches on remote islands or in mountainous areas. In cities, all operators work quite well.
If you have Viettel sim card in Vietnam, messages are sent to 191.
- "mimax" - the cost of the service is 70,000 VND - 600 MB of mobile Internet.
- "mimax90" - the cost of the service is 90,000 VND - 1.2 GB of mobile Internet.
You can buy a Viettel SIM card in Vietnam only for mobile access on the 3G network. There are also monthly, daily and other packages for them, which are also sent by commands to number 191:
- DC5: 5,000 VND, 1 GB, 24 hours
- D10: VND 10,000 3 GB 24 hours
- D15: VND 15,000 5 GB 24 hours
- DC10: VND 10,000 50 MB
- DC30: VND 30,000, 200 MB
- DC50: VND 50,000 400 MB
- DC70: VND 70,000 600 MB
- DC120: VND 120,000, 1.5 GB
- DC200: VND 200,000 3 GB
- KM50: VND 50,000, 3.5 GB
- DC300: VND 300,000 4 GB 6 months
- DC500: VND 500,000 5 GB 12 months
Please note that all packages are auto-renewing. Therefore, if you no longer want to use packages, they must be disabled.
Viettel travel sim card
Viettel introduced a tourist sim card for tourists. They are sold mainly at airports and large stores. The convenience of a tourist SIM card is that certain packages are already activated on it, you just need to buy the right one.
For example:
Price 100.000 dong - 1 GB of internet - 20 minutes in Vietnam - 10 minutes in the world - validity period 5 days
Price 200.000 dong - 2 GB of internet - 40 minutes in Vietnam - 20 minutes in the world - validity period 10 days
Price 300.000 dong - 3 GB of internet - 60 minutes in Vietnam - 30 minutes in the world - validity period 15 days
Price 500.000 dong - 5 GB of internet - 100 minutes in Vietnam - 50 minutes worldwide - validity period 25 days
Please note that the Viettel travel SIM card does not include text SMS messages. If you need them, you need to buy a scratch card.
How to call Russia from Vietnam
To call in Vietnam to Russia, you need to use the international code +7. That is, just dial the usual number through +7. No additional codes need to be dialed, which is very convenient.
Internet in Vietnam without a local SIM card
In principle, if you come to rest in Vietnam and spend time in a hotel and local restaurants for tourists, then there is no particular need to purchase a Vietnamese SIM card. You can use Wi-Fi, which is available in all hotels, cafes and restaurants, and even on Dream Beach near Gorky Park. By the way, here is where free wifi in Nha Trang.
Now you know everything about cellular communication in Vietnam, what kind of communication is in Vietnam, what operators are there, where you can buy a SIM card in Vietnam, what are the offers for Internet packages in Vietnam and how you can do without a cellular SIM card in Vietnam. More articles about Vietnam and Nha Trang.
Vietnam has a highly developed mobile communications and internet infrastructure, and the prices for these telecom services are slightly higher than in the CIS countries.
Drimsim is a SIM card not tied to one operator, it works in 197 countries, provides a stable connection, fast internet and prices, almost like those of local operators.
- no need to set up roaming and buy a local SIM card
- No subscription fee and hidden fees
In this article, you will learn about three main Vietnamese operators mobile communications, their tariffs for calls and the Internet, network settings and many other useful data that will be useful to any traveler who wants to always stay in touch with his family and friends.
Many travelers planning to fly to Nha Trang or visit its resorts are puzzled by the problem of cellular communication. Such perplexity arises from skepticism about the country's IT infrastructure, which many consider to be underdeveloped and of poor quality. But this is a common misconception.
In fact, with mobile networks and internet here full order. Moreover, their quality is an order of magnitude higher than in most countries of the former USSR. Since Vietnam is a major manufacturer of microelectronics, local mobile operators have access to advanced cellular and network equipment, which allows them to provide high-quality and cheap telecom services.
Types of SIM cards
In this country, you can purchase SIM-cards to equip any mobile phone:
- Standard - A classic form factor that is now considered obsolete. Suitable for mobile devices with large card slot.
- Reduced - Card for mobile phones and tablets with a Micro-SIM slot.
- Miniature - The smallest Nano-SIM cards for devices with the appropriate slot. They are required for the latest mobile devices released in the last 1-3 years.
These cards are sold as a standard sized plastic pad with two smaller pads inside. In general, everything is like that of domestic mobile operators.
Prices
The cost of a SIM card is from $5. The exact amount depends on tariff plan, places of purchase and impudence of the seller.
Note! As a rule, when buying a SIM card, the user account already has some funds in the amount of up to 50 thousand VND.
About how many minutes of conversation this money can be enough, will be discussed below.
Where could I buy?
You can buy a card in the following places:
In the airport
Guests of the country can get a special card for tourists immediately upon arrival in international Airport. To do this, you need to contact the store, marked with a large sign "SIM-CARD".
The cost of such a card will be about $ 12, it includes a certain amount of Internet and fairly cheap calls abroad.
street vendors
Vietnam has a law that requires every buyer of a SIM card to tie it to their passport. This means that a person who does not have at least temporary citizenship does not actually have the right to purchase a card if it is not a tourist card.
Therefore, it makes no sense to apply for a purchase at the official representative offices of local OPS. But it can be purchased from hawkers on the street, sellers in local markets, tour operator guides, and even in pharmacies and small shops that are located within the main tourist area of Nha Trang.
ATTENTION! It makes no sense for a traveler to overpay for a tourist SIM card, especially if he plans to stay in the country for less than 30 days. It is best to give about $ 5 to resellers who register cards for figureheads, often there are more favorable Internet tariffs, but sometimes there may not be “starting” money in the account, so it needs to be replenished.
Choice of mobile operator
There are 3 major operators and several regional operators in Vietnam. In this article, we will focus on the main OPS: Viettel, MobiFone and Vinaphone. As in other countries of the world, their tariffs practically do not differ from each other. As for the quality of communication, it is exactly the same for all telecom brands.
REFERENCE! To select a specific OPS, you first need to decide what you plan to use the card for - for calls abroad or for the Internet. If for the Internet, then the seller will tell you which operator offers the most favorable Internet tariffs at the moment.
Tariffs
As already noted, the main players in the Vietnamese mobile communications market offer almost the same tariff plans:
- a call from one Vietnamese operator to another will cost from 900 to 1200 VND per minute +/- separate connection fee;
- a call to a number within the network of the same operator costs about 300-500 dong per minute +/- ten dong per connection. There are tariffs with free packages;
- sending SMS within the network of the same operator will cost 200-300 VND. There are also tariffs offering a package with free SMS to numbers within the OPS. Messages to numbers of other operators or in roaming cost from 2500 to 3000 VND.
Based on the amounts shown in this list, it is quite easy to calculate how many minutes of conversation the standard VND 50,000, which is found on almost every new SIM card, will last.
Note! If the traveler's plans do not include calls to their country, which are much more logical to make for free using Skype, Viber, etc., then the money available on the card, even without replenishing it, will be enough for at least half a month of vacation (if they are not spent earlier on mobile Internet).
The specific cost of tariffs at the current time can always be found on the official website of the Vietnamese TSOs.
International calls
International calls cost from 5000 to 8000 VND, depending on the country you plan to call. Most of the CIS countries, especially those where the MTC operator is present, are included in the list of destinations with reduced call rates.
But sometimes overseas communications may cost more if the card was sold with a purely local tariff.
How to connect 3G internet?
Connecting a high-speed mobile Internet service to Vietnamese operators will not be any more difficult for a tourist than in his homeland, and in some cases, setting up is not required at all.
By default, each operator's card is almost always given from 600 MB to 1.5 GB. After the expiration of this package, you can order another one for a couple of tens of thousands of dongs. If there is no package, then it is recommended to order it immediately, otherwise the user runs the risk of quickly spending all the money on the Internet.
Settings on Viettel
To order the cheapest 600 Mb package for this operator, you need to create a new SMS message, write one single word there "Mimax" (without quotes) and send to 191. 70 thousand will be written off from you. In the same way, all other packages of this OPS are included.
Settings on MobiFone
To order the cheapest 600 MB Internet package, you need to create a text message with the words "CAIDAT" (without quotes) and send it to 999. This service will cost the subscriber in the amount of 70 thousand VND. All other Internet packages from this OPS are ordered in the same way.
Disabling SMS spam from MobiFone
Settings on Vinaphone
To order a 600 MB internet package on this operator, you need to create a text message "DK" (without quotes) and send it to 888. From the subscriber they will write off from 70 thousand dongs. All other Internet services of this OPS are ordered in the same way.
REFERENCE! If all the traffic is used up, then the operator starts charging 200 dong for each megabyte of Internet over the limit.
Change message language from Vietnamese to English
Russian-speaking subscribers do not need to try to understand Vietnamese characters during SMS dialogues with the operator. After all, in just a minute you can change the language of interaction to international English:
Viettel
- make a call to 900;
- when the voice menu appears, press the number 4, and after it the number 2;
- after selection of English language the setting is stored as 1.
mobile phone
- call the same number 900;
- getting into the voice menu, you need to press the number 5, and after it the number 1;
- the setting is saved with the number 1.
Vinaphone
- the number 900, similar to the previous ones, is dialed;
- in the voice menu, the number 3 is pressed, after which you need to press the number 1;
- the resulting setting is stored as 1.
If there are any problems with the setup, you can find the operator's number in the phone book (it is automatically created when you activate SIM cards on a cell phone), call the CALL-center and ask to translate all SMS into English. If you do not speak English, ask your guide to make such a call.
Balance check
The Vietnamese telecom market introduced a unified balance check code, which is performed using the characters *101# and the call button. A large number of accounts can be displayed in the menu on the screen, but the subscriber should be interested only in the very first one in the list. The remaining positions of the list are various bonuses.
To see the remaining amount of Internet traffic, you need to execute the code from the characters *102# and the call key. The invoice will be displayed if the package is ordered and connected.
Balance replenishment
You can replenish the account of local OPS, both through subscriber terminals that can be found on any street (not all of them have an English menu), and through cards. The last way easier. You can buy a recharge card in the same place as a SIM card.
The cost of such a card in the amount, for example 70 thousand dong, will be from 70 to 73 thousand.
Important! Replenishment code: *100*(numbers under the erasable field on the card)# and a call key.
How to connect WiFi?
To find free Wi-Fi in the city, it is enough to include a search in the lobby of your hotel, catering establishments, shopping salon, bank branch and other organizations that are required to provide free connection to the internet. The connection speed is similar to that in the CIS countries.
Some routers provide Internet access immediately, and some require simple authentication. Usually it is expressed in the fact that when you connect to Wi-Fi, an authorization pop-up window appears on your device, it will contain some kind of picture and a simple site with 1-3 buttons. By clicking on one of these buttons, you can get authorization on the network.
cellular and Internet in Nha Trang: where to buy a SIM card, how to connect 3G and Wi-Fi?