Frequently asked questions

An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a digital SIM that lives in your phone's hardware. You activate it by scanning a QR code instead of inserting a plastic card. Since 2018, most flagship phones (iPhone XS, Pixel 3, Galaxy S20 and later) support eSIM, and many can run an eSIM and a physical SIM at the same time (dual SIM).

If you have an iPhone XS or newer, Pixel 3 or newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 or newer, or any flagship Android released after 2020, you almost certainly have eSIM support. iPhones sold in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau before 2024 do NOT support eSIM — buy a physical SIM elsewhere if your iPhone was bought in those regions. Always confirm at Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM (iOS) or Settings → Connections → SIM manager → Add (Android).

Daily plans: You receive your eSIM QR code by email within 60 seconds of payment confirmation. The eSIM itself activates the moment your phone connects to a Vietnamese mobile network — usually within 1-2 minutes of landing and turning on cellular data. Your Unlimited eSIM QR is emailed before your chosen start date. Your plan starts on the start date you pick and you get the full number of days.

Yes — and we recommend you do. Scan the QR code on your phone before flying. The eSIM profile installs immediately but does not consume any data plan time until your phone connects to a Vietnamese carrier on arrival.

Yes. Your home SIM (physical or eSIM) stays active for calls and SMS in roaming or on Wi-Fi. The Vietnam eSIM handles only the data connection. You can configure which line is the default for calls in your phone settings.

Step 1: turn off airplane mode and toggle cellular data off then on. Step 2: in cellular settings, set the Vietnam eSIM as the default line for data and enable data roaming on that line (yes, even though it's a local plan — required for some phones). Step 3: if still no signal after 5 minutes, manually select the carrier (Settings → Cellular → Network selection → Viettel or Vinaphone). Contact our 24/7 support if needed.

Only our Vinaphone 5GB/day plans come with a Vietnamese phone number that receives incoming calls and SMS (so Grab drivers, hotels and restaurants can reach you). It does not receive app or bank verification codes (OTP), so keep your home SIM active for those. Outgoing calls are not included on any plan. Vinaphone Unlimited, Viettel and Skyfi plans are data only (no number).

No. These are tourist eSIMs: when the validity period ends the eSIM is deactivated automatically and the validity cannot be extended. Need more days — buy another plan; your phone can hold several eSIM profiles and you switch between them in settings.

Your data stops until 00:00 (GMT+7), when the next day's allowance is added — there are no overage charges and no slow “unlimited” tier. Calls and SMS on your home SIM keep working normally.

5GB a day is a lot for a traveller: maps, messaging, social, music and several hours of video all fit inside it, and it refills every morning instead of draining one fixed bucket — a 15-day Viettel plan is 75GB in total. The important difference is speed. Most “unlimited” travel eSIMs give you 0.5–2GB per day at full speed and then throttle to roughly 128 kbps–1 Mbps for the rest of the day (the throttle figures are listed publicly on esimdb.com/vietnam; Holafly words it as a “Fair Usage Policy”). At that speed maps, video calls and ride-hailing apps barely work. Our plans have no throttled tier: the whole daily allowance runs at the carrier's normal 4G/5G speed. Our own Unlimited plans are the exception: they are on Vinaphone and have no daily cap and no throttled tier at all — see Unlimited Vietnam eSIM.

Full refund within 7 days of purchase if the QR code has not been activated on a phone. Once the QR is activated, the eSIM is provisioned to your device and cannot be refunded. Contact admin@telebox.vn with your order number to request a refund before activation.

Almost certainly yes. Korean iPhones (sold by SKT, KT, LG U+) all support eSIM since iPhone XS. Samsung Galaxy and Pixel phones sold in Korea support eSIM from S20 onwards. Our Korean-language support is available 24/7 via email and KakaoTalk.

iPhones bought in mainland China before 2024 do NOT support eSIM (Apple removed the physical SIM tray for the US market only). If your iPhone was bought in mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau, you cannot use this eSIM — please use a Vietnam physical SIM instead. iPhones bought in Korea, Japan, USA, or Europe work fine. Chinese-language support available 24/7.

Yes. We provide 24/7 customer support in English, Korean (한국어), and Chinese (中文) via email at admin@telebox.vn. Response time during Vietnam business hours (UTC+7) is typically under 30 minutes.

Three ways, you choose at checkout: (1) Daily-plan eSIM — a QR code emailed within 60 seconds, install it yourself; (2) SIM delivered to your hotel in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang or Phú Quốc — a physical SIM waiting at your front desk; (3) Airport pickup — collect a ready-to-use physical SIM at the Nội Bài (Hanoi, HAN) or Tân Sơn Nhất (Ho Chi Minh City, SGN) arrivals counter. A daily-plan eSIM is instant; the two physical options work in any phone and need no setup. Your Unlimited eSIM QR is emailed before your chosen start date. Your plan starts on the start date you pick and you get the full number of days. The airport physical-SIM pickup QR is emailed before 12:00 Vietnam time (GMT+7) on the day before you land.

Yes. Order online before you fly and collect a ready-to-use physical SIM at our international arrivals counter at Nội Bài (HAN) or Tân Sơn Nhất (SGN) — no 20–40 minute airport queue, no haggling. Our staff can insert and activate it for you. If your SIM isn't there as promised, you get a full refund plus a free eSIM (ready-or-refund guarantee). The airport physical-SIM pickup QR is emailed before 12:00 Vietnam time (GMT+7) on the day before you land.

Yes. Choose 'Delivered to your hotel' at checkout, give us your hotel name and check-in date — Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phú Quốc are covered, and a physical SIM waits for you at the front desk. Great if you'd rather not stop at the airport — just check in and your SIM is there.

Yes — choose a physical SIM instead of the eSIM. A physical SIM works in any phone, including older phones and iPhones bought in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau before 2024 (which have no eSIM hardware). Get it delivered to your hotel in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang or Phú Quốc, or pick it up at the Nội Bài or Tân Sơn Nhất airport arrivals counter — no eSIM support needed.

Unlimited plan (Vinaphone): unlimited data, no speed throttling, free hotspot. Does not apply to the Viettel 5GB/day plan.