Can i get phone reception is Vietnam and Cambodia?

[Amelia]

I'll be going to Vietnam and Cambodia for a holiday but will i get reception there to use Facebook and also what are the plugs like

[Carl_the_Truth]

Depends on where you are. You have to call your service provider to see if cell service is available for your phone.
Are you in the US ? Plugs and power are both different. You'll have to go a store like Radio Shack or Best Buy and ask them for a converter.

[hnguyen]

Yes, there are places such as coffee shops that has free WIFI, although you will not be able to access Facebook from Vietnam. It is blocked by the government.

[MojaveDan]

I'm an IT consultant and I have witnessed Vietnam's rapid progression into modern technology.

Just a few years ago, most all Viets went to internet cafe's to access the internet because computers and Internet access was too expensive and/or not available. Now, Internet cafe's are few and far in between because most everyone has internet and computers in their homes. Also, wifi is now commonplace in many coffee shops and some restaurants. Wifi is so common in Vietnam that I was able access free wifi hotspots around most of Hoan Kiem Lake in Ha Noi.

Cambodia's technological advancement is a little behind Vietnam, but not by much.

Depending on who you ask, Vietnam has five or six cell phone services. All but one are GSN based systems (similar to AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S.) and have very good reception in most of the country including the countryside. They all offer data plans for smartphones and phone to computer use. EVN Telecom is the only CDMA based system (similar to Verizon or Sprint) and has the fastest data rate available, but has dropped out of the mobile phone market and offers fixed phone or internet services via wireless in most major cties.

Cambodia is having a cell phone war. Six carriers are currently fighting over a 12% market penetration with three more carriers planning to enter the market very soon. Cambodia cell phone service is very cheap because of the fierce competition.

If your U.S. carrier is AT&T or T-Mobile, you can probably use your phone in Vietnam or Cambodia by using a SIM from a local carrier and unlocking the phone. AT&T is the only U.S. based carrier that offers international roaming, but it's extremely expensive and doesn't work in Vietnam.

Electrical plugs in both countries are Asian standard (two round pins). Most new buildings are fitted to accept both Asian standard and the new universal standard (two flat vertical pins). It's advised to take a plug adapter with you while traveling in that region.

Another person was correct that Vietnam has restricted access to the internet, but that's easy to get around. Change the DNS that your computer uses to something outside of Vietnam. Here's a link to Google's public DNS with instructions on how to change this in your computer:

http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/

Have a great trip!

[NgocNga]

Yes you can. But you will have to pay international roaming rate. Contact your provider to make sure you have the international roaming package and activate it ( which is free for T-mobile as far as I know).

Another choice is that you can buy a 3G sim card in Vietnam in order to access Facebook or internet. It is very cheap there. My sister bought one for only about 3 USD and can use internet access from her mobile home.

But please be advised that Vietnamese government blocked Facebook times to times. So you need to ask around for some methods to get around with the firewall. It would be easy, just ask local people. Or if you are IT expert, it's a piece of cake.

Enjoy the heat of summer in Vietnam