Vietnam

Basics
There are 4 major GSM network operators in Vietnam: Two further providers are not on the list as Gmobile (formerly Beeline) is on 2G only so far (they received a 4G/LTE license in 2016, but haven't started yet) and S-Fone on incompatible CDMA standard.
 * Viettel
 * Vinaphone
 * Mobifone
 * Vietnamobile

Coverage and speeds are quite good for SE Asian standards: 2G/GSM is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz. Viettel and Vinaphone introduced DC-HSPA in 2014, 4G/LTE is just being launched on 1800 and 2600 MHz after Viettel, Vinaphone, Mobifone and Gmobile received licenses in 2016.

In March 2015, a new numbering plan was introduced and all 11-digit mobile numbers will be shortened to 10 digits. As prices are more or less ruled by the state, there is in fact not much competition going on between the operators and rates are pretty much the same amongst them.

Regulations
To buy a prepaid SIM card, you have to officially show your ID or passport and need to be registered first, before the SIM card can be activated. But in practice, this was not really much enforced before November 2016. Then the government shut down 12 million falsely registered SIM cards. The rules are now more strictly enforced, that you bring your passport and register to activate your SIM card in an operator's store. Small independent corner shops can't activate them for you and they still sell a SIM on somebody else's identity to you.

With these vendors make sure that they activate it for you or show where and how to do it. Official registration can done in the major stores of the operators or the seller will direct you to a registration point, where you'll need to show your passport. Don't leave the store without instructions, how to activate or with a SIM which is already activated. You can check whether your SIM has been registered by texting 'Tttb' to 1414 on all major operators, but the answer will be a date in Vietnamese with its validity.

So what is a visitor to do in 2017?
You can still buy a SIM card at a corner store or at the airport. But have in mind that they are not properly registered. Even at airport booths, they still sell them without the legal registration. When you ask for it, they will smile or find an excuse or simply lie to you.

A traveller visiting the country for only a few days may do fine without registration. You only risk that your SIM will be shut off anytime without prior warning. This has been reported after 4 days already. To avoid losing your credit and allowances in this case, you'll need to go to a registration point in an official store and re-register your SIM on your name by showing your passport as required by law.

If you continously need mobile data, travel through the countryside where there are no registration points and/or stay for longer, it's now very much recommended to go the legal way by buying and registering your SIM card in a major store of an operator.

Viettel
Viettel is owned by the Ministry of Defence and thus the Vietnamese army. It's the market leader in Vietnam with about 40% of all customers on its network. It has the best coverage in remote places even on 3G.

As prices don't differ so much between the 3 major operators, Viettel should be your first choice when you are going to rural areas. 4G/LTE has been launched in early 2017 on 1800 MHz in major cities.

Availability
SIM cards are available at the airports and lots of shops in town. Recharge cards are widely available in small shops and on the sidewalks. Shop staff is usually happy to try to help when adding credit, even if they don't speak a word of English. Best option is to visit a Viettel store in a bigger city. They speak some English and prepare everything for you, even cutting to nano SIM. SIM cards are around 50,000-60,000 VND depending on number with some credit. For 4G/LTE, be sure to get one of their new 4G-enabled SIM cards. Old 3G SIMs can be swapped for free in their stores.

Their prepaid brands are called Tomato and Economy and don't come with data. So you have to book a package. Balance check is *101# for main account and *102# for bonus account. To top-up by voucher, type *100*#. The vouchers can be aquired all around town, just look for the Viettel logo. Be aware that Viettel sends a lot of advertising SMS.

Call 191 to get balance or top up through the voice system. You can switch to English by pressing 3 (entering the language menu), second menu press 2 (select English), third menu press 1 to confirm.

Data feature packages
Data on 3G is up to 21.2/5.76 Mbps, 4G/LTE is only slightly faster. You may need to activate data by texting "3G ON" to 161. Type *101# to check your call balance. Default rate outside of packages is 75 VND per 50 KB by default.

These following monthly packages can be booked through your device: Text activation to 191. The first two packs are hard-capped, overuse is charged by 25 VND per 50 KB. The last 4 packages are soft-capped and speed will be throttled when reached quota. To subscribe, text activation code to 9123 for free. All packages auto-renew, if there is credit. To stop, text "HUY" to 191, but all packages will be cancelled immediately and the rest of your data volume will be lost. If you use up your high-speed data before your 30 days is up and want to re-subscribe to regain full-speed data, you must first cancel your current subscription (sending "HUY" to 191) before it will let you re-subscribe.

MiMax and DMax packages can be extended by add-ons giving you more data volume for one day only at high speeds: You can check your current data balance by sending the text "KTTK" to 191.
 * 150 MB: 8,000 VND, activation: MT1
 * 20 MB: 2,000 VND, activation: MT2
 * 100 MB: 4,000 VND, activation: MT3

Tourist SIM
Viettel introduced a tourist SIM for visitors sold mostly at the airports and their big stores. It's sold for US$ 5 or 10 and needs to be added with one of these plans: International calls are to 25 countries only. Data overage charge is 9.76 VND per 50 KB.

One thing to note is that the Tourist SIM does not include SMS texting. To add texting, you need to add a scratch off card to the account to pay for SMS messages.

To check account balance *101# ( free ), to check remaining data capacity, USSD Code: *102# (free)

Data-only SIM: Dcom
Their Dcom service is for Mobile Broadband in 3G: data-only for any devices. It can be used in smartphones too, but doesn't have voice and text. SIM cards can be switched from/to Tomato, but rates are very similar and you should think twice about losing text and voice capability. They sell these data bundles for Dcom only: Daily packages will renew every 30 days until out of credit. DC10 is the default package, when no other bundle is booked. Packages are hard-capped with 9.76 VND per MB overuse fee.

To activate, text the name of the bundle to 191. All bundles auto-renew. To stop text "HUY" to 191, to check balance text "HTTK" to 191. The same daily add-ons as mentioned above can be added.

More info

 * APN: v-internet
 * Personal Hotspot (for iPhone tethering) APN: v-internetts
 * when starting up, the default PIN code will be 1111.
 * Website in Vietnamese only: http://vietteltelecom.vn/

Vinaphone
Vinaphone is the second operator in Vietnam. It's owned by the government through the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group. It has a market share of 30% and is the local partner of Vodafone. It gives a good coverage and speed throughout the country. 4G/LTE has been started on Phu Quoc island in 2016 and will spread to other places soon.

Availability
SIM cards are widely available in shops and street kiosks where you see their logo for around 50,000 VND. Top-ups from VND 5,000 to 500,000 extend SIM life 1 to 215 days available at the same stores. To top-up, type *100*#. Check balance by *101# and validity by *102#.

There are different stater packs called VinaCard or similar. It doesn't make a difference which you choose for data as all have the same data packs.

Data feature packages
You may need to activate data first by texting "GPRS ON" to 888. Speed on 3G is a max. of 14.4 Mbps. Default data rate outside of packages is 1.5 VND per KB. You can book these monthly packages: To subscribe text "DK" to 888. All packages auto-renew. To stop text "HUY" to 888. To check data balance, text "DATA" to 888. All texts to 888 are free.

Tourist SIM
In 2017 they have introduced an own Tourist SIM through their subsidiary GCS Vietnam called 'Global Connection SIM'. It's sold already pre-activated and doesn't seem to require any registration.

The starter pack is 300,000 VND and comes with 8 GB data (up to 3G, no 4G/LTE), 80 dom. minutes, 80 SMS and 50 internatl. minutes to these countries: landline and mobile calls to the US, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Thailand and Malaysia; landline calls to Japan, Taiwan, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and Russia.

The validity is strictly for 30 days only and it doesn't seem to be extendable in volume or time. It's available in the Vinaphone booths at Hanoi Internatl. Airport at the arrival levels of both terminals or in Hanoi center. For more info in English call (+84) 91 38 8111 or check their website.

More info

 * APN: m3-world
 * Website mostly in English: http://vinaphone.com.vn
 * Tourist SIM of GCS mostly in English: http://gcsvietnam.com/en/

Mobifone
Mobifone is the 3rd provider in the country with a 18% market share. It's in the process of privatisation. Speeds and coverage may be good in the centers and around the coast, but can be patchy in the mountains. From 2016 it's possible to roam throughout the whole country in the Vinaphone network with a Mobifone prepaid SIM. Mobifone's 4G has started in 2016 in Hanoi, Da Nang and HCMC on 1800 and 2600 MHz and is open for prepaid without surcharge.

Availability
SIM cards are widely available in shops (store locator) and street kiosks where you see their logo for 50,000 VND. There are different stater packs called MobiCard or similar. It doesn't make a difference which you choose for data as all have the same data packs.

For their new 4G in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, you will need a 4G-enabled SIM that is only available in these stores (locator).

Top-ups from VND 5,000 to 500,000 extend SIM life 1 to 215 days available at the same stores. Check balance by *101#.

Data feature packages
You may need to activate data first by texting "DATA ON" to 999. Speed on 3G is a max. of 7.2 Mbps. Default data rate outside of packages is 75 VND per 50 KB. Furthermore, you can book these monthly packages: New and soft-capped packages can be upsized: For longer periods, they offer these packages: To subscribe text "DK" to 999. All packages auto-renew. To stop text "HUY" to 999. To check data balance, text "KT DATA" to 999. All texts to 999 cost 200 VND per SMS.
 * daily package: 150 MB, 8.000 VND, hard-capped, activation code: D1 - this package doesn't auto-renew.
 * 350 MB: 15,000 VND, activation: MAX15
 * 600 MB: 25,000 VND, activation: MAX25
 * 1 GB: 35,000 VND, activation: MAX35
 * 1.8 GB per month for 3 months: 210.000 VND, 3M70
 * 2 GB per month for 6 month: 420.000 VND, 6M70
 * 2.2 GB per month for 12 months: 840.000 VND, 12M70
 * 4 GB per month for 12 months: 1,440,000 VND, 12M120
 * 7 GB per month for 12 months, 2,400,000 VND, 12M200

Tourist SIM
Like the other major operators Mobifone sells Tourist SIM cards too. Theirs are called "Happy Tourist". They cost 250,000 VND and come in 2 different plans:
 * Happy Tourist Data (no voice): including 3 GB for 30 days, overuse data rate: 9.77 VND per 50 KB. Top-ups, valid for 30 days:
 * 200,000 VND for 3 GB
 * 300,000 VND for 5 GB
 * 500,000 VND for 8 GB
 * Happy Tourist Voice and Data: including 1.5 GB and 80.000 VND call credit for 30 days, overuse data rate: 25 VND per 50 KB. Top-ups, valid for 30 days:
 * 200,000 VND for 1.5 GB and 80,000 VND call credit
 * 300,000 VND for 3 GB and 100,000 VND call credit
 * 500,000 VND for 5 GB and 200,000 VND call credit

More info

 * APN: m-wap
 * Website in English: http://www.mobifone.com.vn
 * to order Mobifone SIM cards online to be shipped abroad for a steep surcharge: www.vietsimcard.com

Vietnamobile
Vietnamobile is the smallest of the 4 providers and the only one that is privately owned. It gives out the best prices in Vietnam and has a market share of around 10%.

In 2011 it started with 3G services. 3G was initially available in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hanoi, but since then 3G coverage has been expanded to Ba Ria-Vung Tau, An Giang, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan, Dong Thap, Long An, Dong Nai, Thai Nguyen and Binh Duong. For 2016/7 it's planned to expand 3G coverage from 13 to 63 cities and provinces. So better make a network scan, before you buy one of their SIM cards. It can't be recommended for travelling right now.

Availability
In the major towns you have to look for their logo to find an outlet first, as their English online store locator is not working. But, you can try your luck here: Starter kits come in different varieties. Their standard VMOne is for 25,000 VND with 10,000 credit, valid for 30 days. Other kits may be higher with more credit preloaded.

Top-ups are by scratch cards of 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 VND. You get a bonus of 100% for the first 10 recharges of 20k or higher.

Data feature package
You have to enable 3G data by typing *345#. Default rate outside of package is 75 VND per 15 KB. They offer these packages: Night offer: unlimited data 1am-7am within 7 nights for 10,000 VND. Activation: N10

To activate send text "DK" to 345. All plans auto-renew. To stop send "HUY"<blank to 345. All overuse is charged at the default rate.

Data-only SIM
For 65,000 VND they sell a data-only SIM without text or voice. It comes with 5 GB for 30 days included. You can also convert a regular voice SIM to a data SIM by texting 'DATA SIM' to 345. Only for this data SIM, they offer special packages valid for 30 days: Text activation code to 345.
 * 1 GB: 20,000 VND, activation: DK USB20
 * 5 GB: 50,000 VND, activation: DK USB50
 * 10 GB: 100,000 VND, activation: DK USB100

More info

 * APN: internet
 * Website partly in English: http://www.vietnamobile.com.vn