The Complete Guide: Getting A SIM Card In Vietnam

Yet another perk of living in Vietnam is the cheap cost for mobile data. Most of my friends that are visiting always ask the same question: is it worth getting a SIM card on my visit? Instead of answering the same question in email, I’m creating this guide to help out the entire community. Unfortunately most of the information right now about mobile data packages is scattered across the web on unofficial websites in complicated Vietnamese.

Yet another perk of living in Vietnam is the cheap cost for mobile data. Most of my friends that are visiting always ask the same question: is it worth getting a SIM card on my visit? Instead of answering the same question in email, I’m creating this guide to help out the entire community. Unfortunately most of the information right now about mobile data packages is scattered across the web on unofficial websites in complicated Vietnamese.

This piece will explore the various types of data packages available to anyone. If there are any errors in this article, please leave a comment below so we can fix it!

At the Airport

The earliest point in time one can obtain a Vietnamese SIM card is right after you step off the plane. Outside the baggage pick-up carousels are various booths where you can purchase and sign-up for a data plan.

TIP: I usually recommend to my friends to visit the SongViet counter at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Here, you can arrange a flat-rate taxi to anywhere in Ho Chi Minh City and you can get a Viettel SIM. The cost as of August 2016 is 200,000 VND for a SIM with 3GB of 3G data (initial monthly price may vary from the airport to the city and the store where you purchase your SIM).

In the City

SIM cards are sold by street vendors on almost every corner and topped-up (refilled) by buying scratch cards of pre-fixed value. You then add value to your account balance by punching in a code that is revealed after you scratch the card.

My favorite place in the city to buy a SIM, top up, or purchasing anything electronics related are the bright yellow “thegioididong” stores that are all around Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City, you can usually find one in every major neighborhood.

Which service provider?

The mobile telecommunications field is dominated by three state-owned entities which account for over 90% of the market share: Viettel (~40% market share), Vinaphone (~30%) and Mobifone (~20%). Most of us are Viettel users since the coverage is strongest outside of the city too, but you can’t go wrong with any of the others carriers.

Viettel

Viettel data packages come in two forms:

a) those with a hard cap on all data. After you use your allocation, your internet will get cut off and you will have to pay per MB used.
b) those without a hard cap. You will be throttled to slower 2G speeds after reaching your package limit.

Outside of data, you can receive calls at no charge on all Vietnamese networks. As for placing calls, you will be charged by the minute depending on which carrier the person you are calling has (it’s cheaper to make calls to someone within the same network).

To sign up for these plans by yourself, you send a text of the name of the package (e.g. “DMAX”) to the number “191” (Viettel’s number which automates the transaction).

a) Packages with a hard cap on all data

 

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
MI10	10,000đ	50 MB	25đ/50KB or 500đ per MB
MI30	30,000đ	200 MB	25đ/50KB
MI50	50,000đ	450 MB	25đ/50KB

 

b) Packages with throttled data after you reach a certain limit

 

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
MIMAX	70,000đ	600 MB	Free (throttled 2G)
MIMAX90	90,000đ	1.2 GB	Free (throttled 2G)
DMAX	120,000đ	1.5 GB	Free (throttled 2G)
DMAX200	200,000đ	3GB	Free (throttled 2G)

 

Most Vietnamese locals tend to purchase the cheapest package that does not have a hard cap, which in Viettel’s case is “MIMAX” and gives the user 600 MB of 3G for 70,000đ a month. For whichever plan you sign-up for, you will automatically be renewed after 30 days, given that you have that amount available on your “balance”. All companies also have a “promotional balance” which is bonus money you can receive if you top-up your mobile balances on certain days (it’s always changing so ask your local friends if they know of the most recent promotions).

 

Key things to remember for Viettel:

To register for a data package: send the name of the package (“MIMAX”) via text to the number “191”.

To cancel a data package: send HUY via text to the number 191, then reply to the text with a “Y” (this confirms you want to cancel the package).

To check your balance: place a call to “*101#”.

To check your promotional balance: place a call to “*102#”.

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Vinaphone

Vinaphone the two types of packages above in addition to another type called “BIG DATA” packages that get you more 3G data than the throttled packages BUT does not offer free throttled data after you hit the limit.

To sign up for these plans by yourself, you send a text of the plan name (e.g. “MAX”) to the number “6088” (Vinaphone’s number which automates the transaction).

a) Packages with a hard cap on all data

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
MI10	10,000đ	50 MB	25đ/50KB or 500đ per MB
MI30	25,000đ	150 MB	25đ/50KB
MI50	50,000đ	500 MB	25đ/50KB
M120	120,000đ	1.5 GB	25đ/50KB

 

b) Packages with throttled data after you reach a certain limit

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
MAX	70,000đ	600 MB	Free (throttled 2G)
MAX100	100,000đ	1.2 GB	Free (throttled 2G)
MAX200	200,000đ	3 GB	Free (throttled 2G)
MAX300	300,000đ	30 GB	Free (throttled 2G)

 

c) “BIG DATA” packages: more 3G data off the bat but once you reach the limit, no throttled data

 

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
BIG70	70,000đ	1.6 GB	None, must buy another package
BIG100	100,000đ	2.5 GB	None, must buy another package
BIG200	300,000đ (not a typo)	5.5 GB	None, must buy another package
BIG300	300,000đ	10 GB	None, must buy another package

 

Key things to remember for Vinaphone

To register for a data package: send the name of the package (such as “MAX”) via text to the number 6088.

To cancel a data package: send HUY + name of the package via text to the number 888 (example: “HUY MAX” to 888).

To check both your balance and promotional balance: place a call to “*101#”.

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Mobifone

Mobifone has the the same three types of packages that Vinaphone has (hard cap, no hard cap and hard cap with no additional data) in addition to a unique data-only SIM card (called “FastConnect”) that can neither receive nor place calls.

To sign up for these plans by yourself, you send a text of the plan name (e.g. “MAX”) to the number “9084” (Mobifone’s number which automates the transaction).

a) Packages with a hard cap on all data

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
M10	10,000đ	50 MB	25đ/50KB or 500đ per MB
M25	25,000đ	150 MB	25đ/50KB
M50	50,000đ	450 MB	25đ/50KB

 

b) Packages with throttled data after you reach a certain limit

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
MIU	70,000đ	600 MB	Free (throttled 2G)
MIU90	90,000đ	1 GB	Free (throttled 2G)
BMIU	200,000đ	3 GB	Free (throttled 2G)

 

c) “Big Data” packages: more 3G data off the bat but once you reach the limit, no throttled data

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
M70	70,000đ	1.6 GB	None, must buy another package
M90	90,000đ	2.1 GB	None, must buy another package
M120	120,000đ	3 GB	None, must buy another package
M200	200,000đ	5.5 GB	None, must buy another package

 

d) “FastConnect” packages: data-only SIM card that can neither receive nor place calls

Name of Package	Price of Package / 30 days	Amount of high-speed data	Cost of data thereafter
F70	70,000đ	7 GB	FastConnect, cannot receive nor place
F90	90,000đ	9 GB	FastConnect, cannot receive nor place
F120	120,000đ	12 GB	FastConnect, cannot receive nor place

 

Key things to remember for Mobifone

To register for a data package: send the name of the package (“MIU”) via text to the number 9084.

To cancel a data package: send HUY + name of the package via text to the number 999 (example: “HUY MIU” to 999).

To check both your balance and promotional balance: place a call to “*101#”.

Vietcetera’s Recommendations:

The best package for you will depend on the length of your stay and data usage. I personally find that I use less 3G data than I did back in America because of the availability of free WiFi at almost every place I go to, including restaurants and cafes.

I also never make phone calls in Vietnam even as a long-term resident. And as a traveler, you probably won’t either unless you speak Vietnamese.

I almost always recommend to my local and traveling friends the Viettel DMAX200 package. It costs 200,000 VND, comes with 3GB of 3G data and throttled to free 2G afterwards, and allows you to receive calls for free and to make calls if you have a balance.

Happy browsing!