Can you sign up for Grab or Maxim in Nha Trang with a data-only eSIM, or do you need a regular Vietnamese phone number?
Based on 2 discussions with 3 participants · Last activity: 13 days ago
TL;DR
Grab and Maxim usually require a normal phone number that can receive an SMS or verification call. A data-only eSIM is fine for internet and WhatsApp, but it often won’t work for taxi app registration or regular calls to drivers.
What the community said
If your eSIM is a data-only plan without a mobile number, it usually works only for apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. In most cases, it will not work for calling a driver directly or signing up for taxi apps.
13 days ago data-only eSIM, WhatsApp
A common reason Grab or Maxim registration fails is the phone number format: the app needs a real number that can receive an SMS code or a verification call. If a Trip.com eSIM shows an unusual or overly long number, the app may reject it.
13 days ago Trip.com eSIM, Maxim, Grab
Even with a physical Viettel SIM, registration can fail if SMS is not activated, the number is entered in the wrong international format, or the app does not accept that number type. In practice, for taxi apps in Nha Trang it is more reliable to use a standard local SIM with voice and SMS, not just a data package.
13 days ago Viettel