Menu
Expat.com

Which Post-Paid Cellular Data Plan Do You Use?

Post new topic

James Liu

Any post paid cell plan user? How much does a plan does it cost you and is roaming outside of Vietnam reliable for text messages for banking APP authentication? Thank you in advance. 

Aidan in HCMC

Any post paid cell plan user? How much does a plan does it cost you and is roaming outside of Vietnam reliable for text messages for banking APP authentication? Thank you in advance.   -@James Liu

We use Viettel. See this post.

OceanBeach92107

    Any post paid cell plan user? How much does a plan does it cost you and is roaming outside of Vietnam reliable for text messages for banking APP authentication? Thank you in advance.   -@James Liu
~~~~~
We use Viettel. See this post.-@Aidan in HCMC


I went back and read that thread. It appears that all references are to pre-paid plans.


The best I can determine from 5 years of personal experience and talking with my wife: it ISsomehow possible to have a post-paid plan, but with four major caveats:


1. Not possible without permanent resident status (basically, only for Vietnamese citizens with an official Vietnam government ID card and a permanent residence here; old "family book" residence).


2. Rates for data, calls & texts are not discounted in any way. So the user pays the high rate for any and all usage.


3. Requires a DOMESTIC payment account (domestic bank account or payment system only available for domestic bank account holders).


4. Requires proof of income source or employment verification.


I'm happy to be corrected (without ad hominem attacks) about any or all of this if someone can provide a source for contrary information.


IF someone only wants a phone number without unlimited or even limited data, it's possible to get something less in a prepaid plan, but the less you purchase, the higher the rates.


Also, when you max out data or phone/text use on a limited plan, those services are automatically turned off until you refresh your account.


From my POV, the Viettel Unlimited data plan for 1 year is so cheap, I find it hard to imagine that someone plans to relocate to VN but can't afford it: ₫90,000 VNĐ monthly, paid yearly = currently about $3.69 USD monthly/$44.28 USD annually prepaid PLUS a minimum ₫100,000 VNĐ deposit against future usage IF you want to use the sim's phone number for calls & texts.


It's especially helpful because it can be used as a very reliable data hotspot on other devices.


When my Viettel home WiFi is sometimes down or very slow via modem Ethernet line on my laptop, I switch to WiFi off my Viettel phone with hotspot enabled.


Works like a charm probably 95% of the time.


This is a VERY important feature for anyone planning to do remote working here.


WiFi signals provided by hotels, landlords & restaurants/cafes can drop at any time, and a Viettel hotspot can immediately get you reconnected.


I know one person who teaches online and was very frustrated with local WiFi signals dropping and interrupting her lessons.


She now uses her unlimited Viettel hotspot as her default connection.


No more problems and she can do her lessons almost anywhere, not just inside a building that's WiFi enabled.

Aidan in HCMC

@OceanBeach92107

Good catch on the post paid.


My bad.

OceanBeach92107

    @OceanBeach92107
Good catch on the post paid.
My bad.
    -@Aidan in HCMC


Không có gì

😌

🙏

Articles to help you in your expat project in Saigon

  • Making phone calls in Vietnam
    Making phone calls in Vietnam

    The telecommunications sector in Vietnam has flourished throughout the past two decades. Like many foreigners, ...

  • Internet in Vietnam
    Internet in Vietnam

    Vietnam is currently ranked 39th internationally for internet connection and has an average download speed of ...

  • Phone Use In Vietnam
    Phone Use In Vietnam

    If you are coming from overseas for a short stay expect most types of cellphone to work okay here. The major ...

  • Techie in Vietnam: Will My Smartphone Stay Smart?
    Techie in Vietnam: Will My Smartphone Stay Smart?

    As a techie growing up in the Silicon Valley, I’ve grown accustomed to certain conveniences.  One ...

  • Getting married in Vietnam
    Getting married in Vietnam

    Have you met that perfect someone who you want to spend the rest of your life with? Luckily, getting married in ...

  • Working in Vietnam
    Working in Vietnam

    Anyone thinking about working in Vietnam is in for a treat. Compared to many Western countries, Vietnam's ...

  • Setting up a business in Vietnam
    Setting up a business in Vietnam

    Foreign entrepreneurs from across the globe have been landing across Asia for decades. In August, Harvard ranked ...

  • The healthcare system in Vietnam
    The healthcare system in Vietnam

    Moving to Vietnam is going to present you with an abundance of challenges, from the logistical aspect to customs ...

All of Saigon's guide articles