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-   -   Pocket wi-if rentals for use in Vietnam (https://www.fodors.com/community/asia/pocket-wi-if-rentals-for-use-in-vietnam-1672576/)

wunderbar2 Oct 6th, 2019 08:11 AM
Pocket wi-if rentals for use in Vietnam
 
Hi, hoping someone can enlighten me regarding best portable wi-fi to rent for use while on a trip in Vietnam? Has anyone done this? Who did you use and were you satisfied?

We will be traveling next month and I will need to keep in touch with my elderly Mom back in the US using Skype. Also want to use the gps for getting around, look up restaurants, hours and things to do.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. I realize most of our hotels will have WiFi however with the time difference it would be better to have this.

janisj Oct 6th, 2019 08:20 AM
Not sure why the time difference is an issue. But it is my understanding wifi is available almost everywhere in Vietnam.

Experts will have more advice / info -- I haven't actually visited VN myself but have several friends/relatives who have multiple times (and two friends who live there) and all just used the mostly free wifi everywhere.

crellston Oct 6th, 2019 09:42 AM
Wifi is freely available in hotels everywhere. In the cities at least, it is pretty fast 25-50mbps. I have visited Vietnam many times and have never see portable wifi offered anywhere. Not sure how much use it would be anyway. Unless of course you plan on using Skype in the back of a taxi or walking along the street.

Assuming you have an unlocked phone, the easiest and cheapest way to online access is to buy a SIM card on arrival. They are pretty cheap.

For GPS just download google offline maps for Vietnam when on wifi and it will work fine whether or not you are connected.

wunderbar2 Oct 6th, 2019 09:45 AM
The time difference I’m referring to, tho maybe worded badly...
where we will travel is 12 hours ahead of our local time in the US, meaning I will not make calls to check in at midnight - in say Hanoi but noon here at home. And yes, we have been to Vietnam and WiFi is readily available in hotels and cafes but I don’t want to ‘seek’ places to make a call via Skype.

wunderbar2 Oct 6th, 2019 09:49 AM
Thank you janisj and crellston.

Larsay Oct 6th, 2019 09:18 PM
The Viet spend their time playing with their smartphone (even while driving a scooter), so Wifi is available practically everywhere including bars and restaurants, even in homestays. You just have to buy a SIM card (sold in airports or in the streets, the latter with signs "SIM cards"

janisj Oct 7th, 2019 08:43 AM
Originally Posted by wunderbar2 (Post 16996853)
The time difference I’m referring to, tho maybe worded badly...
where we will travel is 12 hours ahead of our local time in the US, meaning I will not make calls to check in at midnight - in say Hanoi but noon here at home. And yes, we have been to Vietnam and WiFi is readily available in hotels and cafes but I don’t want to ‘seek’ places to make a call via Skype.


Not a big deal but I'm still curious -- why would the time of day (or night, or wee small hours) make a difference?

wunderbar2 Oct 8th, 2019 05:43 AM
Originally Posted by janisj (Post 16997268)
Not a big deal but I'm still curious -- why would the time of day (or night, or wee small hours) make a difference?
Explained why in earlier post, 12 or 13 hour time difference. Not that it matters, right.

janisj Oct 8th, 2019 11:59 AM
I guess we are just having a failure to communicate. I did read your response . . . but since wifi is available most everywhere AND is a 24/7 thing-y, the time zone you are in and the time zone your contacts are in wouldn't make any difference.

wunderbar2 Oct 9th, 2019 04:18 PM
janisj, while I appreciate your comments I don’t get your obsession with my post. This isn’t the first time you’ve essentially questioned in depth or made weird posts to me. Suffice it to say, it’s of no importance to you, understand or not.
thanks to others who have responded and not felt the need to grill me on my phone call needs.

LAX_Esq Oct 16th, 2019 07:52 AM
Originally Posted by Larsay (Post 16997097)
The Viet spend their time playing with their smartphone (even while driving a scooter), so Wifi is available practically everywhere including bars and restaurants, even in homestays. You just have to buy a SIM card (sold in airports or in the streets, the latter with signs "SIM cards"
Just thought this post should be pointed out, as it mangles the difference between WiFi and a SIM card. You don't need anything other than your regular smartphone to use WiFi at a bar, restaurant, hotel, etc. To use cellular data service when you're NOT at such a place, e.g., riding in a taxi or walking around on the street, you need to have an unlocked phone and buy a SIM card. Crellston's very helpful post below gets it right:

Originally Posted by crellston (Post 16996852)
Wifi is freely available in hotels everywhere. In the cities at least, it is pretty fast 25-50mbps. I have visited Vietnam many times and have never see portable wifi offered anywhere. Not sure how much use it would be anyway. Unless of course you plan on using Skype in the back of a taxi or walking along the street.

Assuming you have an unlocked phone, the easiest and cheapest way to online access is to buy a SIM card on arrival. They are pretty cheap.

For GPS just download google offline maps for Vietnam when on wifi and it will work fine whether or not you are connected.


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