VietNamNet Bridge - Mobile network operators have launched a new war to lure subscribers. Their major ‘weapon’ this time is the new number repository with ‘lucky’ prefixes.

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Viettel, MobiFone and VinaPhone, the three largest mobile networks, have simultaneously launched additional subscription numbers with the prefixes 088, 089 and 086, hoping that the move would heat up the market which is getting saturated.

An analyst commented that mobile network operators have taken a wise move to develop subscribers in current conditions.

Vietnamese believe that the numerals 6, 8 and 9 always bring luck, therefore, they would try to get new subscribers with the numerals, especially business peoplewho have belief in feng shui.

Mobile network operators have launched a new war to lure subscribers. Their major ‘weapon’ this time is the new number repository with ‘lucky’ prefixes.
VNPT VinaPhone hash allowed people to register new subscribers with prefix 088 via internet since February 28, while officially launching the subscribers in the market on March 7.

Deputy CEO of Viettel Do Minh Phuong said at a Ministry of Information and Communication’s conference in February that Viettel would launch subscribers with the prefix 086 on March 5, or two days earlier than its rival VinaPhone.

Meanwhile, Bui Son Nam, deputy CEO of MobiFone, told VietNamNet that MobiFone’s subscribers can register the numbers they want on its website from March 6, while the official launching would take place on March 9.

This means that about 3 million additional numbers will be launched into the market in the first half of March.

The analyst, when asked which network operator has advantages in the competition, commented that all of the network operators will launch new numbers at the same time, while all of them are large networks and the prefixes 088, 086 and 089 are all ‘lucky’. Therefore, they need to lure subscribers with specific methods.

There are big differences in the policies the network operators use to distribute subscriber numbers. VinaPhone has been successful with its media campaign as its subscriber number with prefix 088 was chosen by Dinh La Thang, the newly appointed HCM City Municipal Party Committee Secretary. Thang has made public the subscriber number as his hotline for people to call when necessary.

The telco attracted the public’s attention when launching subscriber numbers ‘drib and drab’: 1,000 numbers were launched on its website on February 28 for customers to register. New numbers are all associated with service packages.

The charges of the associated service packages remain a secret, but Viettel’s representative affirmed the service fees are very reasonable.

Meanwhile, Viettel decided to launch hundreds of thousands of new simcards with the prefix 086 on its all sale channels. Customers can register subscriber numbers at Viettel’s shops, authorized agents, Viettel Store and transaction points in communes.

MobiFone allowed people to register 10,000 subscriber numbers on March 6 and officially provided simcards at its authorized shops on March 9.


Trong Cam