All but 4 of Viet Nam’s 63 cities and provinces will have the area codes for their landline numbers changed starting from February 2017, a decision that not everyone is happy about.

The Ministry of Information and Communications announced on Tuesday that new area codes will be applied to the 59 cities and provinces in 3 phases, from February 11 to June 17, and steps will be taken to try to reduce any public confusion.

In Viet Nam, a landline phone number reads as follows: (area code) (phone number).  The area code is not required to call another landline within the same city or province, unless you are using a mobile phone.  To ring a Viet Nam landline from overseas, dial: (country code +84) (area code minus the first 0) (phone number).

According to the ministry, the area code changes are necessary as the current codes are inconsistent, with “some provinces having a 4-digit area code whilst others have 2- or 3-digit codes.”

“The full phone numbers therefore can be 10 or 11 digits long, which is confusing, hard to remember, and goes against international practice,” the ministry said.  “A decision has therefore been made to make all area codes 4-digit numbers, except for Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, to remove the confusion and bring them into line with worldwide practice.”

Addressing public concerns that it will be difficult to get used to the new area codes, the ministry said technical measures will be enacted along with the number changes to assist the public.

For the first 30 days after an area code changes, the old code will still operate.  For the next 30 days, callers will hear a recorded message giving the new area code if they have dialled the old one.  The old codes will therefore cease after 60 days. 

There are many concerns about these changes, such as the need for businesses to reprint their packaging or business cards, and alter their signage, at some cost to themselves.

Below are the area code changes:

(Source: Tuoitrenews/ Da Nang Today)