The era of junk SIM cards is over, and the agencies are closing down.

The Ministry of Information and Communications' decisive action, along with the network operators' crackdown on unregistered SIM cards, has brought this market to a standstill. Many areas specializing in selling cheap SIM cards are deserted, and some shops have even closed down.

A survey conducted by VietNamNet reporters on streets with many shops selling disposable SIM cards, primarily targeting students and workers, such as Trieu Khuc, Phung Khoang, Giai Phong, and Ta Quang Buu, revealed that SIM card dealers were experiencing a lack of customers. New SIM cards are priced from 60,000 to 300,000 VND, all with zero balance. Numbers with "bad" or 11-digit numbers are cheaper than 10-digit numbers.

Mr. Hoang Long, owner of a SIM card shop on Trieu Khuc Street (Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi), shared that all activated promotional SIM cards are now locked and unusable. The balance on these SIM cards is currently 0 VND, and customers are required to present their valid national identity card. Furthermore, even if they already have a number with a network provider, they cannot register for another one. Customers must go to the customer service center to request the deletion of their old number.

Many areas specializing in selling cheap SIM cards are deserted, with some shops even closed.

According to Mr. Long, business has slowed down because the promotions offering large amounts of credit have stopped. Previously, buying a SIM card came with a lot of credit, with some network providers even offering a 100% bonus on the first three top-ups. Now, all promotions have ceased.

Currently, Mr. Long's shop remains open, mainly selling phone top-up cards, game cards, and clearing out remaining SIM cards. Although the numbers haven't been revoked yet, he can't sell them to customers.

"If business gets tough, I'll have to consider switching to another profession in the future. The days of selling disposable SIM cards for huge profits are over," Long said.

Similarly, at a SIM card shop on Truong Dinh Street, the owner said that many customers came to inquire about buying unregistered SIM cards, but left after being informed that there was no money left in the account. This agency mainly sells unactivated SIM cards with attractive numbers that are still valid with the network provider. The prices range from 300,000 VND to over 5 million VND per SIM, but all have zero balance in the account.

Meanwhile, a SIM card shop on Nguyen Trai Street has closed down. According to many small SIM card retailers, with no more pre-activated SIM cards to sell and no customers, they are forced to close due to high rental costs.

A representative from a mobile network operator stated that SIM card dealers have currently stopped importing new SIM cards. This halt in imports is due to the Ministry of Information and Communications' strict management of prepaid mobile SIM cards and its firm commitment to recalling SIM cards that were activated illegally and sold on the market.

Speaking to the press on November 22, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Phan Tam said that the Ministry will officially request network operators to stop providing services to approximately 12 million subscribers who show signs of being pre-activated, providing fake information, and not generating the minimum required fees.

The Ministry of Information and Communications has requested provincial Departments of Information and Communications nationwide to simultaneously inspect the activation of subscriptions and promotions that violate regulations, and to recall activated prepaid SIM cards.

At the end of October, major network operators including Vinaphone, MobiFone, Viettel, etc., signed a commitment with the Ministry of Information and Communications to recall pre-activated SIM cards starting November 1st. By November 20th, the network operators must deactivate all SIM cards that were incorrectly activated.

In early November 2016, the Ministry also decided to fine five telecommunications companies—GTel, Vietnamobile, MobiFone, Viettel, and VinaPhone—more than 1 billion VND for numerous violations during the operation of promotional programs.

According to Vietnamnet