The telecommunications sector in Vietnam has flourished throughout the past two decades. Like many foreigners, Vietnamese citizens now prefer to use a mobile phone rather than a landline to communicate.
To keep in touch with friends and family while in the country, you can choose a mobile service package that suits you best.
Landline phones in Vietnam
If you would prefer not to purchase a SIM card (perhaps you're not in the country for too long), you could make use of the phone available to guests at your hotel. Do note that although convenient, phone rates offered by hotels can come at a premium fee, so be sure to inquire about these before picking up the phone and making long-distance phone calls.
Mobile phones in Vietnam
Your mobile phone is the most convenient way to stay connected and communicate with family and friends. If you are in Vietnam for a short stay and would prefer not to purchase a SIM card, you might want to activate the international roaming service on your phone. Make sure to check these rates with your mobile service provider prior to your departure.
Unlocking your mobile phone before leaving for Vietnam is the recommended method to enable your communication to remain clear and uncomplicated. If you are coming from Europe, Asia, or Australia, your mobile phone might already be unlocked by default, with the exception if you are on a prepaid plan. Vietnamese SIM cards (and inexpensive new mobile phones if yours turns out to be locked) are available for purchase at all airports and cities.
You can recharge your SIM card with mobile data from shops, stores, gas stations, and supermarkets. Nowadays, it's possible to replenish your phone credit in Vietnam for as little as 30,000 VND. Data is convenient for text messages and surfing the internet. To make international calls, it will probably be the cheapest and most convenient for you to find one of the many available fast wifi cafes — purchase a beverage and make use of the free connection.
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Making a phone call in Vietnam
In Vietnam, to make local calls, dial '0,' followed by the province code and the phone number. For overseas calls, dial '0' followed by the country code and the phone number without the initial '0'. Here are some examples:
- USA: 00 1 area code phone number
- UK: 001 44 phone number
- Australia: 00 61 phone number
- Switzerland: 0041 area code phone number
- Canada: 001 area code phone number
However, you may find the easiest way to phone home is through apps like Facebook Messenger or Skype. It will be free of cost (on Messenger or WhatsApp) and only require a strong wifi signal. For making phone calls to banking or government numbers, you will need a phone number for them to contact you. Make sure you know your Vietnamese phone number ahead of time.
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