How to Set up a Sim Card in China
Deciding to use your home country plan and incurring international roaming charges could quickly add up. The better suggestion would be to invest in your own SIM card and learn how to set up a sim card in China. Keep in mind, you should make sure that your phone is quad-band enabled with the right signals and that it is unlocked to have a better chance of working well in China.
The main reasons we would recommend setting up a Chinese SIM are:
- Map directions
- Use WeChat
- Register your address at the local police station
- Set up an Alipay account
- Didi (Chinese equivalent of Uber)
- Chinese Train booking – remember your passport number
- Use voice translators
- Eliminate arrival stress (Most things you do in China would require you to have an accessible Chinese number)
SIM Cards
The 3 best SIM card options:
China has three major mobile carriers. Each with their own advantages and disadvantages. These include China Mobile (中国移动) China Unicom (中国联通) and China Telecom (中国电信)
For the best nationwide coverage, China Mobile is the market leader. China Unicom normally has the most compatibility with foreign phones including 3G and 4G services. Both services usually have reliable connections.
Some applicants from the US might choose to take a Google-fi account with them for familiarity. As you will be living in China, it would be better to have a Chinese carrier. Our pick would be China Mobile or China Unicom.
China Mobile Plan
Foreign bought phones may have different signals that may not work well in China with a 3g network (if you are looking for something cheaper). We would recommend checking your phone compatibility. To address the issue, the staff may try to push you to 4g coverage.
Here are the details for their best phone plan plan for 2019:
- 88 RMB prepaid monthly
- 10 GB of nationwide data coverage.
- 50 minutes of outgoing nationwide calls.
- Data beyond your plan normally slows down to 1 Mbps
- Incoming calls and SMS text messages are free.
- Additional outgoing calls are 0.19 RMB/minute.
China Unicom
- 69 RMB prepaid monthly
- 10 GB of nationwide data
- 500 minutes of outgoing nationwide calls
- Incoming calls and SMS text messages are free
- Additional outgoing calls are 0.15 RMB/minute
- Additional data charges are 10 RMB/100MB and 30 RMB /1GB
Data | China Mobile (calling min. In a fixed plan) | China Unicom (total price of the customizable plan to include calling mins) | China Telecom (total price of the customizable plan to include calling mins) |
500MB | RMB58 (includes 100mins) | RMB56 (includes 100mins) | RMB59 (includes 100mins) |
1GB | RMB138 (include 500mins) | RMB106 (includes 300mins) | RMB129 (includes 500mins) |
2GB | RMB158 (includes 500mins) | RMB166 (includes 500mins) | RMB169 (includes 700mins) |
3GB | RMB268 (includes 1000mins) | RMB196 (includes 500mins) | RMB199 (includes 700mins) |
China Telecom won’t work on most foreign phones, including Hong Kong phones. If your phone was purchased outside of mainland China, it is likely that your phone won’t work with China Telecom including Chinese branded phones. Having said that, it is known for the best WiFi provider in China if you ever need to install WiFi.
Step 1: Finding your SIM Card
Residents in China normally won’t have an issue ordering online. As a foreigner, you may have difficulty without some help. Here are some options:
Option 1: Offline store
You should be able to find the SIM cards in official stores, shops or counters for all 3 network providers in your city. They can easily be found in tier 1 and 2 cities at vendors throughout the city. I would recommend bringing a Chinese friend, local, coworker that could help.
Option 2: Get a SIM card on China Unicoms English website
For those of you interested in the China Unicom carrier. You may find it possible to use their English website or in most stores throughout China.
Option 3: Order a SIM card on an official Chinese website with some support
All the packages and services can be found on Chinese official sites of these three mobile carriers. If you have friends who can help you with Chinese (or colleagues), you can simply order a SIM card online. It will be delivered to you in a couple of days.
Step 2: Registering
You should bring:
- An unlocked phone
- Your passport
- A bank card or cash
Step 3: Topping up your credit
Topping up is easy. You can choose to either; top up manually as you go or we would recommend to connect it to your Chinese bank account. This can be done through the WeChat app giving you the ability to top up remotely. Or you can top up at local shopfronts, counters and official stores of your mobile carriers. You can choose between giving them cash and your phone number.
If you ever run out of data and can’t top up, public WIFI is widely available throughout most major Chinese cities.
Here are some Chinese language expressions to help you get by:
1. If you go to an official store, try speaking English. Some staff may speak English.
2. For staff that are not able to speak English. Here are some commonly used expressions to help you out. Simply show these expressions to them in store and they will likely try to help you out:
- 我想买一张手机卡。 I am interested in buying a SIM card.
- 我要这个套餐。 I am interested in subscribing to this package.
3. Another option would be to ask a colleague at your work for some assistance or contact our team.