Ho Chi Minh City - Post Report Question and Answers
Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
I use a local provider. I highly recommend Viettel as it’s run by the Ministry of Defense, so it works really well. Just know that you have no privacy while on your phone. Even if you go with another provider, you will still have no privacy and the service is less dependable. - Jul 2024
There are two mobile companies most of us use: Mobifone and Viettel. Some people pay monthly, and others pre-pay for a certain amount of data/month. It's reliable service and very inexpensive...I think I spend $5 or 6 a month for data. - Sep 2021
Easy to get a local SIM. Viettel had the best coverage. I had a prepaid plan. 10 gig of data for $10/month. Calls were charged by the minute. Any unlocked phone seems to work. - Jul 2019
Bring an unlocked one and get a Mobiphone sim - super easy. - Mar 2016
Bring an unlocked smart phone and get a sim card for about $4. I pay $5 for minutes every two weeks or so. I use Mobiphone, and my husband uses Viettel, and we have no complaints other than the absurd amount of spam texts we get. - Aug 2015
Bring an unlocked phone and get a local SIM card for a reasonable price. - May 2014
Cell phones are cheap, you can buy the sim card pre-pay. they make up the prices as they go along, but it's still pretty cheap. - Jul 2011
Because everyone gets their cell phone stolen here, the "mobi phone" company have a head office on Nguyen Du street, that are truly excellent at re-issuing you your old number again (without a paid plan. I buy a phone (Nokia)for less then $1 the give you a new SIM card with your old number, you do lose all your old numbers though. I buy minutes each month over the counter for 100,000 Dong = $6. A smal scratch card. Denomination is huge here 1 Million is $60.You have to carry around wads of notes. Brings trousers with lots of pockets and zips, and a hand strap for your phone for when you talk,with ahook to fasten to your pants. Hold all conversations and text all messages away from the kerb, and the passing bikes. Go over by a wall, but not the one used as a unrinal. - Sep 2010
Easily arranged. Get a plan through your workplace so you don't have to buy the top-up cards. - Nov 2009
