Why is a Viettel SIM in Ho Chi Minh City blocking SMS or calls, or asking for document verification, and what should you check?
Based on 2 discussions with 3 participants · Last activity: 16 days ago
TL;DR
With Viettel, mobile data can keep working while outgoing calls and SMS are limited if your passport registration was not fully updated. Another common issue is that a package may be sold as including calls and texts, but SMS still require separate credit, so ask for the exact plan name and receipt.
What the community said
If Viettel keeps sending document-verification texts, mobile data may still work, but outgoing calls and SMS can be restricted later. Even after visiting a store with your passport, it is worth asking staff to re-check that your passport details are correctly linked to the SIM in their system.
16 days ago Viettel
On a Viettel package costing 540,000 VND with 6 GB per day, one traveler found that SMS still failed with an 'insufficient balance' message, even though staff had said the plan included calls and texts. The practical takeaway is to ask for the exact plan name and a printed receipt so you can verify whether SMS are really included.
16 days ago 540,000 VND, 6 GB/day
If a Zalo verification code does not arrive on a local SIM, the issue may be with service SMS on the phone number rather than the app itself. This is especially likely if the SIM already has document-registration warnings or problems sending regular text messages.
16 days ago Zalo
Repeated Viettel warnings about unverified documents can continue even after topping up the SIM and revisiting the store. In practice, this means that adding credit alone does not fix the issue — you need the operator to complete or correct the passport verification.
16 days ago Viettel