Stores are trying to sell their SIM cards before new rules, which will tighten control over inactive mobile subscribers, take effect.

New rules will prevent hoarding SIM cards 

According to the new rules on telecoms service fees which are being completed by the Ministry of Information and Communication, if the mobile phone number is not active within three months of roaming, the telecom companies will withdrawn the number.

This also means an end to stores and individuals hoarding SIM cards with 'lucky' numbers such as 09x8888888 or 016x6666666 to sell at high prices.

In HCMC many stores have stopped trading to wait for the results of the new regulation while wholesalers are trying to clear their inventories in fear of losses.

There are about 10 million inactive SIM cards on the market and in the hands of mobile phone stores owners or brokers. Most of them have numbers that are considered lucky so they often sold at high prices.

Vo Hung, a mobile phone store owner said it's not easy to sell a ‘lucky’ SIM card and it's highly likely that millions of his SIM cards will be withdrawn when the new rules take effect.

Hong Cuong, another SIM card trader in HCMC said the prices of the cards had dropped quickly compared to earlier this year because people are trying to sell the cards at all costs, from advertising on websites to spamming people's mobile phones with texts.

VND5-20 million (USD240-960) SIM cards have now dropped by 10-20% and cards offered at VND20-100 million have now dropped 10% in price.

At the August press conference held by the Ministry of Information and Communication, the representatives of the telecoms department said after comparing 5.1 million mobile phone accounts with their personal information stored at the Ministry of Public Security, they found two million subscribers had mismatched personal information.

The department has returned those two million subscriber details to their telecom companies and these numbers may be withdrawn if their personal information still remains mismatched at the next inspection.

Though Vietnam' has about 88 million people, it has 130 mobile phone subscribers, including 122 pre-paid accounts and 8 million on contract.

Brokers and SIM cards wholesalers try to sell online