Telecom operators have announced in the mass media that they will stop supporting 2G-only subscribers from September 16.

Tran Duc Tin of The GioiDi Dong, the North’s largest mobile phone retailer, said people are rushing to replace their 2G-only phones with 4G keypad phones and cheap smartphones.

Tin said sales of low-cost 4G smartphones increased by 30 percent compared to previous months, while sales of 4G push-button phones increased by 10 to 15 times.

Nguyen Ngoc Dat, CEO of Di Dong Viet, said that smartphones valued at VND 2 million to VND 7 million are the choice of most subscribers who want to replace their 2G phones with 4G phones. Sales in this market segment increased by 30 percent in June and July compared to May.

Nguyen Minh Khue of Viettel Store said nearly 500 Viettel stores across the country are engaged in a mobile phone exchange program, with office workers dispatched to outlets to meet a 30 percent higher demand compared to demand before the news of the 2G network shutdown.

Huy Nguyen of CellphoneS confirmed that sales of 4G mobile phones, especially feature phones, have been increasing sharply recently. Sales of push-button phones priced below VND1.5 million increased four to five times in early August compared to the previous month. A growth rate of 30 to 40 percent was reported for products priced below VND5 million.

At CellphoneS, customers can receive subsidies ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 VND when purchasing certain models from Samsung, Oppo and Xiaomi.

Nguyen The Kha of FPT Shop said the retail chain had already prepared the trade-in program last year. Customers can trade in their old phones for new ones and receive a subsidy of up to VND600,000, giving them the opportunity to buy a new smartphone for only VND2.49 million.

Products under 3 million VND account for 20 percent of sales, while products between 2 and 3 million VND account for 10 percent. Customers have a wide choice of different brands, including Samsung, Realme, Xiaomi and Honor.

Masstel and Nokia have started launching products to replace 2G phones in early 2023. Meanwhile, Samsung, Xiaomi and Realme are taking steps to encourage their customers to switch from 2G to low-cost smartphones instead of 4G feature phones.

Le My