Cities and provinces around Vietnam will have new telephone area codes from June 17.

The 23 remaining cities and provinces will change their landline codes in the third phase of a Ministry of Information and Communications’ program, under which 59 of Vietnam’s 63 cities and provinces will have new codes.

These remaining provinces have the highest number of subscribers, at more than 3 million each, and account for 58 per cent of all subscribers in the country. They include Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Thuan, Ba Ria Vung Tau, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Kon Tum, Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Gia Lai, Vinh Long, Binh Phuoc, Long An, Tien Giang, Binh Duong, Ben Tre, Tay Ninh, and Dong Thap.

Area codes in Vinh Phuc (211), Phu Tho (21), Hoa Binh (18), and Ha Giang (19) are unchanged.

The first phase was implemented in 13 cities and provinces on February 11 and the second phase in 23 cities and provinces on April 15. The changes took place over a one-month period, as will this last change.

The ministry said the changes are the first step in a long-term plan to reduce the number of area codes from 63 to just ten. 

Adjacent cities and provinces will be grouped into regions with one area code. 

This should make the telecoms network easier to manage, while people living in provinces with same area code will enjoy lower call rates.

VNA/VN Economic Times