According to the plan to shut down 2G network in Vietnam, starting from September 2024, all 2G subscribers will no longer be on the network. This means that mobile phones that only support 2G technology will no longer be usable from September onwards.
Brick phones with 4G support are displayed for sale at a store in Ho Chi Minh City
However, according to the observation of a reporter from Bao Người Lao Động, the 2G phone market – commonly referred to as “brick phones” with simple functions for texting and receiving calls – does not seem to be affected much. Brick phone models continue to be sold in the market and are chosen and used by customers.
During the exchange with the reporter, representatives from retail technology stores in Ho Chi Minh City said that most of the “brick phones” currently sold in the market are mistaken as old 2G phones, but in fact, they are integrated with 3G and 4G network support by manufacturers. Therefore, when the 2G network is shut down, people who prefer keypad phones with 3G and 4G network support can still use them normally without being affected.
At The Gioi Di Dong system, feature phones with 3G and 4G network support have been sold for many years before the information about shutting down 2G network was announced; their prices are also much cheaper compared to smartphones. For example, Masstel phones are sold at 370,000 VND, Mobell phones range from 550,000 to 760,000 VND, Nokia phones range from 650,000 to 990,000 VND… Staff at The Gioi Di Dong store in District 10 said these feature phones are still sold regularly. Customers who buy these phones come from different backgrounds, from low-income to high-income individuals.
Mr. Phung Ngoc Tuyen, Director of Mobile Telecommunications Department at The Gioi Di Dong, said that currently, feature phones account for about 3%-4% of the total number of phones sold at this system.
According to Mr. Nguyen The Kha, Commerce Director of FPT Shop system, feature phones with 3G and 4G network support from Nokia, Masstel, and smartphones with prices below 3 million VND are selling quite well, accounting for about 20% of the sales volume at FPT Shop. Mr. Kha said that to help customers switch from 2G phones to 4G and 5G, FPT Shop has implemented the “Trade-in 2G for new 4G” program.
Similarly, CellphoneS also accepts old 2G phones for 500,000 VND. And at The Gioi Di Dong system, customers who upgrade from old 2G feature phones to 4G phones will receive a discount of up to 300,000 VND.
