How to Get a SIM Card in China
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No matter if you’re coming to China for a short or long term, getting a local SIM card will save you a lot of time, money, and energy. Not only it will provide you with more affordable mobile data packages — but it will also be much easier to register on local apps!
How to Get a SIM Card in China in 2023.
Before You Come to China
1. Make sure your phone is unlocked (or no Chinese SIM card will work in it).
2. Check with your mobile service provider that your phone will work with the 3G and 4G networks in China.
After You Come to China
Step 01. Search
Search for the nearest è¥ä¸šåŽ… (yÃngyètÄ«ng) in your area.
- è¥ä¸šåŽ… (yÃngyètÄ«ng) - store/business hall
China’s 3 most popular providers are:
- ä¸å›½ç§»åŠ¨ (ZhÅngguó YÃdòng) - China Mobile
- ä¸å›½è”通 (ZhÅngguó LiántÅng) - China Unicom
- ä¸å›½ç”µä¿¡ (ZhÅngguó Dià nxìn) - China Telecom
?? China Unicom is probably the most suitable for foreign tourists (its network is compatible with more foreign phones).
?? It might be better to choose a store downtown, as they will most likely support registration with foreign passports.
Step 02. Prepare the Documents
The Chinese government requires real-name registration for anyone activating a SIM card, so make sure to bring your passport (or photocopy) with you.
- 护照 (hùzhà o) - passport
- 6个月以上有效期 (liù gè yuè yÇshà ng yÇ’uxià oqÄ«) - validity for 6+ months
Step 03. Visit the Store
Come to the store, explain what you want (possibly with the help of a translator tool), and get in line.
- å–å·æŽ’队 (qÇ” hà o pái duìto) - get a number and wait in line
Step 04. Get the SIM
- Once it’s your turn, come to the counter and say:
我è¦åŠžSIMå¡ã€‚ WÇ’ yà o bà n SIM kÇŽ. I’d like to sign up for a sim card. (lit. “I-to want-to manage-SIM-cardâ€).
- You might be asked to choose a package – å¥—é¤ (tà ocÄn):
领英推è
ä½ éœ€è¦ä»€ä¹ˆæ ·çš„套é¤ï¼Ÿ NÇ xÅ«yà o shénme yà ng de tà ocÄn? What kind of plan are you looking for? (lit. “you-to require-what kind of-packageâ€).
??å¥—é¤ (tà ocÄn) includes a combination of services such as data, talk time, text messages, and other features. Here’s some useful vocabulary to choose a package:
å¥—é¤ (tà ocÄn) ? package / plan
è¯éŸ³ (yÇ”yÄ«n) ? calls
æµé‡ (liúlià ng) ? data / traffic
è¶…å‡ºå¥—é¤ (chÄochÅ« tà ocÄn) ? to exceed the plan
费用 (fèiyong) ? price
Step 05. Choose the Number
Once you’ve chosen a plan, the staff will help you activate the SIM card and complete the registration process.
?? GOOD TO KNOW:
It’s quite common for providers to offer the customers a chance to choose their mobile phone number.
In Chinese culture, some numbers are considered lucky while others are believed to bring bad luck based on their pronunciation. So, if you already have a number that brings you luck, you can also choose the one that suits you best.
Bonus: Topping Up
Once the SIM is activated, you might need to top up your balance. Here’s a brief instruction on how to pay for your plan using Alipay.
01. Open Alipay ?? Mobile Top-Up on the main menu.
02. Choose from one of two different top-up options:
– Credit top-up
– Data top-up
03. Choose the amount of money or data you want to add to your plan and click on recharge now, ç«‹å³å……值 (lìjà chÅngzhÃ).
Congrats, all set!
We hope that with this guide you can get your SIM card easy.
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Check more How-To Chinese guides on our website and make your life in China more enjoyable:
Business Administration Manager for the BSc (Hons.) Clinical Sciences Joint Educational Programme with Chongqing Medical University, Leicester Medical School, The University of Leicester
2 个月Brilliant article that has helped me