How to Share Vietnam eSIM Data with Travel Companions
Vietnam eSIMs fully support personal hotspot, so you can share your data connection with travel companions. This guide from simvietnam.telebox.vn walks you through enabling hotspot on iPhone and Android, explains how data sharing works, and offers tips to stretch your daily data allowance when traveling in a group.
Can You Hotspot a Vietnam eSIM?
Yes — Viettel, Vinaphone, and Mobifone all allow personal hotspot (tethering) on their eSIM plans without any additional fee. The data your companions use is drawn from the same daily bucket as your own usage; there is no separate throttling or surcharge for hotspot traffic.
This works on any recent smartphone: iPhone XS and later, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, and most modern Android devices. If you have a dual-SIM phone with your home SIM still active, you can route hotspot data through the Vietnam eSIM by setting it as the Cellular Data line (iPhone) or primary data SIM (Android). Neither the phone nor the carrier blocks this combination.
Enable Hotspot on iPhone
Open Settings > Cellular, then tap the Vietnam eSIM line under SIMs. Tap 'Personal Hotspot' and toggle it on. If the option does not appear, first check for a carrier settings update by going to Settings > General > About — a prompt may appear if one is available. You can also enable hotspot quickly from Control Center: long-press the network tile, then tap the Personal Hotspot icon.
If the hotspot toggle is greyed out, restart the iPhone, then toggle Airplane Mode on and off. On a dual-SIM iPhone, hotspot always uses the line designated as 'Cellular Data'. Make sure that is set to your Vietnam eSIM (Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data). If your home SIM remains active for voice and SMS, it will still receive calls while hotspot is on.
Enable Hotspot on Android
Navigate to Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot. Turn on the hotspot and set a password. The phone will automatically use the active data connection — which should be the Vietnam eSIM if it is set as the default for mobile data. On Samsung Galaxy, the path is Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering > Mobile Hotspot.
If the hotspot option is missing, check the APN settings. While our eSIM APN works out of the box for most devices, some Android models require a specific APN for tethering. You can verify APN under Settings > Network & internet > SIMs > Access Point Names. On dual-SIM Android phones, also confirm that the Vietnam eSIM is selected as the primary data SIM (usually under SIM card manager).
Data Planning for Group Sharing
Our 5 GB/day plans (Viettel and Vinaphone) are sufficient for moderate group use — maps, messaging, social media — for two to three people. If your group plans to stream video or make video calls, each person may consume around 1–2 GB per hour (typical for standard definition streaming). In that case, a plan with a higher daily cap, such as the Mobifone 7 GB/day option, will give you more room.
To stretch your data further, ask everyone connected to the hotspot to disable automatic app updates and background app refresh. On iPhone, enable Low Data Mode under Settings > Cellular > Data Mode. On Android, a similar setting is available under Data Saver in Network settings. Because you can turn the hotspot on and off instantly, you can share only when needed — for instance, during navigation or quick messaging.
Troubleshooting Hotspot Issues
If the hotspot option does not appear after installing the eSIM, start by updating carrier settings (iPhone) or toggling the data SIM selection (Android). A common cause for no internet on connected devices is that the phone's 'Cellular Data' line is set to your home SIM instead of the Vietnam eSIM — double-check this in Settings.
If the hotspot disconnects after a few minutes, disable auto-lock or keep the phone plugged in so it does not go to sleep. Should problems persist, reset network settings (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset Network Settings on iPhone, or similar path on Android). Note that this erases saved Wi-Fi passwords. In very rare cases, a carrier may block tethering on prepaid plans, but we have not observed this with Viettel, Vinaphone, or Mobifone eSIMs.
FAQ
Does Viettel allow tethering on its eSIM plans?
Yes, Viettel eSIM plans support personal hotspot just like regular data. You can share your connection with other devices without any extra fee or special configuration.
Can I use hotspot and keep my home SIM active?
Absolutely. If your phone has dual-SIM capability, you can keep your home SIM active for calls and SMS while hotspot uses the Vietnam eSIM for data. Just set the Vietnam eSIM as the default data line in your phone settings.
Will sharing data slow down my own connection?
Sharing data does not throttle your speed directly — all connected devices share the same daily data bucket. If many devices are streaming or downloading simultaneously, you may notice slower speeds because the data is being split among users.
How much data do I need for a group of 3 for 7 days?
For light use (maps, social media, messaging), a 5 GB/day plan like Viettel 7-day should be enough. If you expect heavier use like video calls or streaming, a 7 GB/day plan such as Mobifone 7-day provides more buffer. Estimate roughly 1–2 GB per person per day for moderate usage.
Why is the hotspot option missing after installing the Vietnam eSIM?
This usually happens when the phone's carrier settings are not updated, or when the eSIM is not set as the default data line. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > About to trigger a carrier update. On Android, check that the eSIM is selected as the primary data SIM. A restart often resolves it.