Zalo demands paid messages now for once-free verification
Vietnamese messaging platform Zalo is now requiring users to send paid text messages to receive verification codes, instead of automatically generating them, citing system congestion.
On Friday Hanoian Thanh Trung was surprised when he tried to register a Zalo account for a family member but did not receive an automatic verification code.
Instead, the app required him to send a paid text message to 7539, which cost VND5,000 (US$0.20).
Zalo said: « The system is busy and unable to send an automatic verification code. »
Trung found the requirement unusual for a widely used messaging app. « The fee is small, but it is inconvenient and means Zalo is no longer a free app. »
The charges extend to password recovery.
Previously Zalo provided free verification via calls or SMS, but now users must send a VND1,000 message to 6020 or call a hotline at VND1,000 per minute.
« If I forget my password and have no phone credit, I might not be able to use Zalo at all, » Phuong Thanh, a user in HCMC, said.
She also wondered why different verification tasks have different service numbers and fees.
Since early February many users have also complained about failed verification codes, forcing them to send multiple messages and thus incurring additional costs.
Zalo has yet to comment on the issue. Phone number verification is mandatory for internet-based telecommunications services in Vietnam.
Users must register their name and mobile number or an alternative form of identification. Service providers are required to verify these details before granting access.
Messaging apps like Zalo, Telegram, Viber, and Messenger have long used phone numbers for verification, but mostly for free.
Zalo has gradually reduced free features in recent years.
In 2022 it capped non-paying users at 1,000 friends and limited them to replying to messages from only 40 new contacts per month.
In August last year it cut free cloud storage from 1GB to 500MB and restricted external backups, requiring users to use its zCloud service, which starts at VND490,000 per year.
Zalo remains one of Vietnam’s most popular messaging and social networking platforms, with 76.5 million monthly active users as of mid-2024, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications.
By Phong Ngo – VnExpress.net – February 15, 2025