Vietnamobile shows signs of violation in telecommunication fee management by issuing the super low-cost SIM cards named “Thánh SIM” that offers massive incentives for customers.

The Department of Telecommunication under the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has asked mobile network provider Vietnamobile to stop issuing the super low-cost SIM card and explain its business strategy, according to newswire Zing.vn.

Besides, MIC requested Vietnamobile to report on the number of activated “Thánh SIM” cards since January. Furthermore, the firm will have to estimate its losses and draw up a plan to overcome stopping the deployment of this package before March 13.

“Thánh SIM” is Vietnamobile's strategy to compete with MobiFone, Viettel, and VinaPhone, which are holding 95 per cent of the telecommunications market.

"Thánh SIM" is a networking kit worth VND40,000 ($1.74), supplying customers with massive benefits. Notably, customers can enjoy unlimited internet data and make internal and external calls for only VND680 per minute, and send internal and external texts for only VND300 per text.

In order to keep their free data, customers only need to top-up at least VND20,000 ($0.88) per month. In case customers top-up at least VND50,000 ($2.20) per month, "Thánh SIM" will give them 30-day access to its "Happy Ring" on-hold music package.

Meanwhile, the price of the 3G data packages of Viettel, MobiFone, and Vinaphone are valued at an average VND70,000 ($3.08) for 600-700 MB a day, thereby, Vinamobile’s data packages are 1,000 times more cost-efficient than those of the competition.

According to statistics published by Vietnamobile, it sold approximately one million “Thánh SIM” cards since this January.

Vietnamobile is a joint venture between Hanoi Telecom and Hong Kong’s Hutchison Asia Telecom. Being the fourth largest mobile operator, Vietnamobile holds 3.5 per cent of the market, with around five million subscribers.

In December 2017, MIC awarded the country’s fifth 4G licence to Vietnamobile.

VIR