Nguyen Huu Truc's trusty cell phone has revolutionized his small embroidery business — and his life.


When he bought his first mobile phone in 1995, Vietnam had just one fixed-line phone for every 100 people, and cell phones were a pricey novelty. Communication was difficult, forcing Truc to make time-consuming trips to suppliers and buyers.

But these days, Vietnam has 33 telephones per 100 people — and two-thirds of the phones are mobile. Now Truc can make calls on his cell phone from virtually anywhere in the country for about 10 cents a minute, saving him time and money and providing quicker access to information.

cell phones part of life