Network operators get ready to convert 11-digit simcards

The decision on converting 11-digit phone numbers to 10-digit ones was released by the Ministry of Information & Communication (MIC) in May. The subscribers with the prefixes of 012x, 016x, 018x and 019x and 11 digits will convert into 03x, 05x, 07x and 08x with 10 digits.

MIC decided that the conversion will officially begin on September 15, 2018.

The representative of Viettel told VietNamNet that its 43 million subscribers with the prefixes from 0162 to 0169 will be converted in this campaign. Viettel has completed the preparation in infrastructure, technology and labor force to get ready for the conversion.

It is expected that 60 million 11-digit mobile phone subscribers and 700 VSAT (satellite) subscribers will bear the impacts from the conversion.

As for MobiFone, the current numbers with the prefixes of 120, 121, 122, 126 and 128 will convert into 70, 79, 77, 76 and 78, respectively. VinaPhone’s current numbers with the prefixes of 123, 124, 125, 127 and 129 will convert into 83, 84, 85, 81 and 82, and Viettel’s 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168 and 169 will turn into 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39.

The prefixes 56 and 58 have been reserved for Vietnamobile subscribers with prefixes 186 and 188 and Gmobile subscribers will use the prefix 59 instead of 199. 

Subscribers have complained about inconvenience. Bui Kim Hang in district 5, HCMC, said she has been using an 11-digit phone number for the last two years, and it would take her much time to give her new phone number to hundreds of relatives, friends and partners.

Businesses complain that they will have to re-print leaflets, brochures and re-make billboards because of the changes in phone numbers. 

However, deputy general director of a HCMC-based bank said this won’t have a big impact as initially thought.

“Network operators have informed they will have technical solution to support the conversion and new phone numbers with new prefixes will be automatically updated,” he said.

Tran Thi Bao Thu from Fiditour also said there are many channels of communication between the travel firms and clients, so the conversion won’t have considerable effects.

A senior executive of VNPT VinaPhone said the network operator will carry out the trial conversion in mid-August to be sure that after September 15, subscribers can make calls and send SMS with the new prefixes. It is expected that VinaPhone’s conversion process would go in five phases, from September 15 to September 25.

Meanwhile, MobiFone has announced it has successfully converted 1,000 subscribers on a trial basis.

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Trong Dat