Shipping US SIM card to VIETNAM

I know internet in Vietnam is dirt cheap. My problem is I'm always traveling around Asia. I was recently in US and ordered a google SIM. Unfortunately, it arrived after I left. I heard VN custom may not allow SIM card into Vietnam. Anyone has any idea, where I can have it ship in SE Asia?

I really want to try out the google SIM because it works in most countries  at the same data rate.

I had an Italian sim shipped to me. DHL. no issues.

Sussexdude wrote:

I had an Italian sim shipped to me. DHL. no issues.


Errm, why did you do that? I recall horror stories and wish to avoid roaming at all cost!

Paul123 wrote:

I know internet in Vietnam is dirt cheap. My problem is I'm always traveling around Asia. I was recently in US and ordered a google SIM. Unfortunately, it arrived after I left. I heard VN custom may not allow SIM card into Vietnam. Anyone has any idea, where I can have it ship in SE Asia?

I really want to try out the google SIM because it works in most countries  at the same data rate.


Am not in the mood to look it up. What's better vs a local SIM? Me, I love a local SIM plus Hangouts. No more $ 13.99 for the Skype World Flatrate!  The $ 10 prepaid let me call hours and hours...

You're assuming I use it for phone calls, I don't. I use it for SMS, texting, which is free. Important for banking in the EU. I have VN # for calls here.

Sussexdude wrote:

You're assuming I use it for phone calls, I don't. I use it for SMS, texting, which is free. Important for banking in the EU. I have VN # for calls here.


Same here.

Perfect with Dual-SIM mobile phone.

Update:
I also have a voice mail service for that SIM card. So someone who wants to call me in my home country can leave a message.
I receive an SMS and can play the voice mail back via Skype.

Andy Passenger wrote:
Sussexdude wrote:

You're assuming I use it for phone calls, I don't. I use it for SMS, texting, which is free. Important for banking in the EU. I have VN # for calls here.


Same here.

Perfect with Dual-SIM mobile phone.


Yes, dual sim phones are great. Triple sim would be better for my US mobile #. 😁.

Sounds like Google Fi might be the solution to keep my USA business number active on a ghost phone since Vietnam is not one of the 170+ countries which allow roaming privilege (yes Cambodia and Laos).

Can anyone refer a mobile phone technician who can do a dual nano sim + sd-card hack on an S8? This guy seems to be based in Vietnam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmJI3BQUHF4 Preferably in the Central region around Da Nang.

Isn't MagicJack available for Europe? I have it for the USA and it does all that is mentioned here and is very cheap. It is a VOIP system but works very well.

Surely there are good global solutions.

But sometimes it is complicated to change a phone number.

If I had to change my phone number for all financial institution from which I receive security keys via SMS or the telephone number is linked to an app of a financial institution, it would be an enormous effort to change the phone number.  Because that doesn't always work online.

That is why it is sometimes the easiest way to continue using the SIM of your home country.

For me, for example, the dual SIM solution works best.
And I have looked at many global solutions.  Mostly the data/MB or the data packages are too expensive.

If you don't have to call abroad via normal telephone connections, it is the cheapest solution to use a Vietnamese SIM card.

I call (or chat) only via Zalo, Whatsapp or Skype and don't need voice call options.

The costs for a data SIM card (can also send and receive SMS and receive calls) are 70k Dong / month for 5GB, or 100k Dong / month for 10GB.
The cost for the prepaid SIM from my home country is about 50 cents / year for an SMS so it won't be blocked if I don't use it for one year.

If I leave Vietnam for a short time I can simply load data packages onto my SIM card from my home country (e.g. about 7$ for 250MB in Thailand or Singapore).

For those who are constantly traveling outside Vietnam, a global SIM card is probably the best solution.  But for people like me who only leave Vietnam 1-2 times a year, the global SIM card is probably not the cheapest option.