Communication

The communication infrastructure is improving day by day in Vietnam

Telephone

The telephone network is quite well developed in Vietnam as well as in other Indochinese countries. For domestic calls within a city or province, you do not need to dial the local codes

For external calls to other province or city, you must first dial the code of that province first, then the number (normally included in the number and add up about 10 digits)

For example from Vietnam to other countries:    You first dial 00 then country code then number:

To France: You press: 00 + 33 + number

To United State & Canada: You press: 00 + 1 + number

To United Kingdom: You press: 00 + 44+ number

To Australia: You press 00 + 61 + area code + number

From other countries to Vietnam:   Dial 00 + 84 + city/province code (4 to Hanoi, Saigon 8, etc). And finally the number you want, normally of 7 or 8 digits (since 2008, the new number system is preceded with 3).

Mobile phones

The mobile phones with “World” option can work in Vietnam. You can use in Vietnam with a local SIM card, which has a telephone number and credit value. When the card has no credit, you can recharge it at the post office or in the phone shops.

In Vietnam, there are three major telecom operators: Vinaphone, MobiFone and Viettel. They offer these prepaid cards at various price: VND 50,000, VND 100,000, VND 200,000, VND 300,000, VND 500,000.

The tariff for a call abroad is 3,500VND/minute.

Internet

You can find internet cafe’ throughout Vietnam, even in small towns. In big cities like Ho Chi Minh, the atmospheres cafe’ offer their customers free WiFi network (as long as you bring your own laptop). These coffees are often well decorated, many your Vietnamese gather there to relax. It takes about 4,000VND for one hour of internet cafe.

Post Office

There are post offices in all major cities. They are recognizable from a distance with blue logo of the operator. They can be found easily on map too.

Private shop

In some shops, telephone equipment is held by individuals, they also offer telephone booths. their rates may sometimes be much higher than the Post. Hotels often offer national and international telephone services. However, the proposed rate is often double the official rate, practiced by post.