Job Discussion Forums

[cptundies]

can you use a mobile phone from the Uk in vietnam so we can recieve calls from England?

If not can anyone recomend a International SIM card becuase were not sure how long we are going to be in vietnam in order to justify setting up a mobile in Vietnam

Thanks

[thechosenone]

dont worry, just buy a used prepaid sim card and pop it in. you can recharge it all the time. it is pretty expensive to use if you make calls back to UK but calls to other ppl in VN is cheap. You need a phone that is UNlocked though. It may not work if your subscriber like cingular makes the phone for just US use only.

[RedRoof]

Phone situation in Vietnam: See thread about August 2007

This was my "contribution. Hope it's helpful.

I know nothing about land lines - only lived in hotels over the last two summers, so my comments are confined to cell phones.

Points to consider:
1. Bring your own cell phone but make sure it is tri-band - ie that it will work outside your country - with a new SIM card, of course.

2. BEFORE you swap your home SIM card, make sure the numbers you will continue to need at home / anywhere in the universe are stored on the PHONE not the SIM card you are putting into storage.

3. The most seamless "swap" will occur when you take your usual SIM card out and buy one from a Vietnam company. Sellers will usually activate the new sim and show you how to check remaining credit. eg for my phone using a MobiPhone card it's *101# and press dial button. Text message will come up giving balance.

4. When you buy a SIM card, top up to a reasonable balance straight away eg 300,000 VND should hold all but the homesick / lovesick / incredibly rich and verbose - for a few weeks.

5. WARNING; If you let you balance run out to zero dong, you lose the number and have to start all over again! (I only have this info second hand from people who told me it happened to them.)

6. If you bought your cell phone from home on a "locked to provider" deal / special you may be unable to use it here. (Example: In Oz it's possible to get phones with pre-paid cards very cheaply because they are "locked" to service provider - Optus / VodaFone etc.Provider locks the phone to their service for a period 6 - 12 months usually to ensure their "gift" to you is not converted to earn money for another service provider!)

7. However, you may be able to get you "locked" phone unlocked for quite a small fee- about 50,000 VND in one case I watched.

8. When buying subsequent "top up cards" make sure you're buying the SAME BRAND. If you don't get the same brand you (a) have to take a new number from the new company and/or lose the remaining credit from the first company PLUS you've got to notify ALL & SUNDRY re new mobile number.

Hope that helps.

byeeeeee
RedRoof

[thechosenone]

Well there ya go, all the info you need!

Oh and better yet, if you have a computer and your family have a computer, you can use SKYPE to video chat or just talk, all for free!! Just take your laptop to the local cafe and they should have free wifi