China FAQs - China living FAQ

Mobile phones can be purchased at department stores, supermarkets or the outlets of the telecommunication providers.

China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom are major mobile phone service operators in China. All the mobile phone service operators are state-owned enterprises. China Mobile and China Unicom have led the market for decades; China Mobile mainly operates GSM900 and 1800, while China Unicom offers both GSM and CDMA networks. China Telecom, which mainly provides land-line services, recently joined the market by offering the third generation (3G) mobile networks.

How to connect to the mobile phone network?

• Pay as you go

It is easy to buy a SIM card at most mobile phone counters of electronic appliance department stores and to use that for your regular SIM card.

The three network providers offer similar services to top-up your mobile :

• Go to a telecommunication provider outlet. 

• Get charge cards, which are widely available at supermarkets, newsstand, convenience stores, grocery stores and anywhere with an assortment of telephone cards in a plastic wallet hanging outside.

• Charge it online

      Online outlets of the three operators (in Chinese): China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom

• It’s not recommended to use unofficial mobile charge services online, which often lure customers with discounts. Be cautious because they may lack credibility.

• Pay monthly

Another option is to have a monthly phone plan provided by mobile phone networks. Package plans often offers certain amount of anytime minutes, inclusive or unlimited texts, and sometimes broadband services. For instance, China Mobile has phone plans such as GoTone, M-zone(for youth), and Easyown. For GoTone plans, the monthly payment is from 50 to 200 RMB.

However, it may be a bit complicated for expats to get these services. You may need to visit the office of China Mobile or China Unicom to register with a guarantee letter either from your employer or another person. You can dial 10086 to find out more details about the application process.