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AdventureFr-
eak
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Hey everyone!
This coming June I will be traveling to Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. I am unsure how to go about purchasing a sim card. Through STA travel website, I found this option for a sim card:
http://www.statravelus.ekit.com/ekit/MobileInfo/Service/ekglobal_blue
The only problem is, it does not cover service in Laos. For experienced travelers out there, would this be the best way to go about purchasing a sim card? Or would it be better to bring a prepaid phone from home (NYS) and purchase a sim card once I arrive to Hanoi, Vietnam. I know that once I get to Laos and Thailand I will need a different sim card for both those countries, so I'm wondering if it will be worth the hassle to purchase a sim card from each place, or just buy one sim card (the one from that website) that covers 2 of the 3 countries I will be traveling to. I will take any recommendations of what would be the best way to go about this! Thanks for reading!
Best wishes,
Adventure Freak
#1 Posted: 20/4/2012 - 10:07
tyler
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Local sim cards are readily available in Thailand and Vietnam. They are cheap (few dollars) and easy to top up. It was cheaper for me to call Canada from Thailand on my mobile than for friends and family in Canada to call me.
There is no hassle when it comes to purchasing a new sim card...you just need a few dollars and a few minutes of time. Very simple.
I cannot comment on Laos as I have yet to go...
#2 Posted: 20/4/2012 - 10:17
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altmtl
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I agree with tyler, it's no hassle - I just picked up a sim card at the BK airport when I arrived and got another one in Laos.
#3 Posted: 20/4/2012 - 10:43
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AdventureFr-
eak
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You guys are awesome thanks for responding! I've never had to go through the process of purchasing a sim card, so I had no idea what to expect, lol. So bringing a prepaid phone from home and purchasing a sim card from each country sounds like the easiest thing to do. I thought maybe it would be better to be prepared and already have a sim card upon arrival.
Thanks for the help guys!
#4 Posted: 20/4/2012 - 10:51
altmtl
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I'm not sure what you mean by having a "prepaid" phone - but your phone should be unlocked and quad band.
#5 Posted: 21/4/2012 - 02:38
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UsTwo
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I bought a phone in Ha Noi. With sim card, and 100,000 credit, for 500,000 dong. That's about $AU23. Calls to Australia are 20,000 per minute. Re-charge is simple. Just buy a token for whatever amount you need, phone the number in, and you're set.
#6 Posted: 21/4/2012 - 07:20
AdventureFr-
eak
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@ altmtl - Prepaid means pay as you go, it is a phone which credit is purchased in advance of service use. The phone I will be bringing with me is a friends old pay-as-you-go (prepaid) cell phone. I have no idea if it is quad band or even GSM for that matter..
#7 Posted: 21/4/2012 - 15:18
altmtl
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If it's not unlocked & quad band it will be useless. So you will have to buy a new one there.
#8 Posted: 21/4/2012 - 18:49
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