How can you use your mobile phone when you travel to China? Our phones are becoming an invaluable part of our travel experience and it’s difficult to know what’s possible in another country like China.
Read below to find out everything you need to know about traveling with your mobile phone in China.
The irony is that we rarely have need to make phone calls on our phones while traveling in another country. If you’re anything like me, all you need is network access for data.
Using network access, you can use a voice translator in China, get map directions, book hotels and airfare – you name it. Wi-Fi isn’t always available, so connecting to a Chinese network is important.
Can you bring your own mobile phone to China?
The short answer is yes…
…but there are some things you need to know first.
Below I would like to not only help you understand the various option available to use your mobile phone in China, but also a checklist to walk through before you do.
Note: Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I may be compensated if you choose to use one of the services listed. I only recommend what I’ve personally used, and I appreciate your support!
How to Use a Mobile Phone in China (4 options)
There are a number of different ways that you can set up your mobile phone for use while traveling. Some are expensive and easy while others will require more time and energy.
Here’s a quick list of the four most common ways to use your phone in China.
Option 1: International Roaming in China
By far the easiest way to connect to China’s cellular network is via international roaming with your home carrier.
Most of the time, there’s nothing you need to do. Once you land in China, turn on your phone and it will automatically establish a connection and you will be charged international roaming rates by your network provider back home. In some cases, you’ll need to go into your phone’s settings and enable “Data Roaming”.
The benefit of this option is its relative ease. You land, you connect and you’re done.
The downside is that it’s usually the most expensive option. For those from the U.S., it’s not uncommon for there to be a “connection fee” of US$10-$20 (charged for each day you connect to the network) plus data and messaging rates. If you’re not careful, the charges can rack up quickly.
Option 2: Purchase a Chinese SIM Card
To avoid these exorbitant international roaming fees, it’s possible to get a Chinese SIM card and pay only about $20 for a month of service.
I’ve gone into a bit more detail about getting a SIM card in China, but suffice to say there are two options you can consider:
- Purchase a SIM card for your phone: This option requires that you have an unlocked phone. If you’re not sure what I mean by “unlocked”, chances are your phone probably isn’t. In order to unlock your phone from a specific network carrier, you’ll need to pay off any balance for the cost of your phone and then reach out to your home carrier to get an unlock code. You can then purchase a Chinese SIM card online or get one once you arrive in China (a bit harder if you can’t speak Chinese).
- Buy a China phone: To avoid this hassle of unlocking your phone, you can always just purchase a cheap phone when you arrive in China. While name brand phones are as expensive in China as they are anywhere in the world, you can easily find low-cost smartphones that will do the trick. I’ve purchased a simple Android phone for less than US$50.
When purchasing a new phone you bought in China or purchasing a SIM card in China, keep in mind that you’ll have to spend at least an hour at a Chinese carrier office applying for the SIM card.
The big players are China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. Everybody has their preference, but honestly, it really doesn’t matter which you choose.
Option 3: Rent a Phone or WiFi for China
There is an easier option that’s worth considering: renting a phone for China or using an international WiFi unit.
The way phone rentals work is quite simple. You rent a phone online (or over the phone). The phone arrives at your home before you travel. It already has a Chinese SIM card with a phone number, messaging and data plan.
The moment you land in China, you have a phone that works!
If you’re like me, you prefer not to use your own devices in China and this is a perfect workaround. It’s kind of like a “burner phone” for your China travels 🙂
I recommend the CellularAbroad service to rent a phone in China for a reasonable rate. Thankfully, they’ve even worked with me to offer a discount. Enter promocode “TravelChina10” online during checkout at Cellular Abroad or mention the promocode if ordering by phone at 800.287.5072 and get $10 off your China SIM card purchase or your phone rental/purchase.
Another option is to access WiFi in China using “global wifi”. This is a simple device that connects to global networks and acts as a mobile WiFi network. All you have to do is turn on the device and then connect your phone/computer/tablet etc. to the network. You pay either by the day or the month.
An example of this global wifi would be something like Skyroam, a service that allows you to either rent or buy your global wifi device.
Option 4: Only Use Local Wi-Fi in China
Using local Wi-fi is a final option if you don’t have the budget to spend on international roaming, a Chinese SIM card or a global WiFi device.
I don’t recommend this method if you can avoid it, though, and I’ll explain why.
To take advantage of China’s Wi-Fi, you’ll want to make sure you put your phone on airplane mode before you land in China. The reason for this is to make sure you don’t get charged a connection fee for international roaming.
Turn on your phone’s wifi and search for an open Wi-Fi network. As with countries all over the world, most airports, coffee shops and shopping centers offer free Wi-Fi.
There is a catch, though.
In most cases you will be required to provide a code sent to you via text message. If you don’t have a Chinese phone number, you can’t receive these text message codes.
Without a text message code, you can’t get on the Wi-Fi. Some airports have kiosks that give out these codes, but they’re not reliable in my experience.
The Wi-Fi option is free, but I caution travelers to consider the frustration and cost in time. Renting a phone or getting a Chinese SIM card is much more convenient and allows you consistent access to your maps, internet and messaging.
Phone in China | Traveler’s Checklist
Now that we’ve covered your different options for connecting your phone to the internet while traveling in China, I want to walk you through a simple checklist before you travel.
Going through this checklist should give you peace of mind knowing that everything is going to work once you land with your phone in China.
- Check the Compatibility of Your Phone: If you’re using a phone that was manufactured after 2015, you’re fine (this covers most people). However, there are older mobile phones that won’t work on international bands. You might want to check to make sure your phone covers the international frequencies of 900 and 1800 Hz.
- Talk with your Home Carrier: Call your home carrier and ask them what kind of rates they offer for international roaming. You can keep things cheaper if you only do data, as opposed to phone and text. They’ll be able to tell you any connection fees and what it will cost per Mb/Gb.
- Is Your Phone “Unlocked”? While you’re on the phone with your carrier, ask them if your phone is unlocked. If you’re a bit tech-savvy, you can also check your phone’s IMEI number to see if it’s unlocked. If it is, you can consider buying a Chinese SIM card once you arrive in China. For those whose phone is still locked to a carrier, you’ll need to either use international roaming or rent a phone.
- Do You Have a VPN? I always advise people to install a VPN on their phone and computer before they travel to China. Why? There are a number of services that are blocked in China that a VPN will allow you to use. You can’t use Instagram in China, email and all Google services (including maps and translation). Personally, I use ExpressVPN in China and they’ve been extremely reliable. They also offer a 30-day money back guarantee, so download the software before you go and if it doesn’t help, get your money back.
- Do You Have the right Charger Plug? It’s natural to get nervous about charging your phone in another country. Thankfully, most phones, tablets and laptops include a charger that is compatible with the 220V service in China. Double check to make sure, and then check to see if your plug will fit in China’s electrical sockets.
Final Thoughts | Mobile Phones in China
The bottom line is – you can use your phone in China, but you need to make sure you’ve done your homework before you do.
Determine whether you can/want to use your personal phone or if you’ll need to buy or rent a China phone. This will give you a good starting point to figure out how you’ll use a phone in China.
Remember, a lot of travelers avoid the headache of trying to get a phone working by renting a phone. You don’t have to put your own phone at risk of being hacked and you’ll be assured that it works the moment you land.
Use promocode “TravelChina10” to get 10% off all rentals through CellularAbroad.
>
Hi josh, great info
Can u share the website of how to get to china by train from hongkong or shenzhen. Tq
That’s a great idea. I’ll try to get that information published soon.
Thank You for this great information. I plan to visit China in a few weeks. I will try to get my telephone unlocked by TMobile. I am an African American and can’t wait to try the VIP line thing.
Great! Glad it was helpful, Angela. Enjoy your trip.
This article goes quite in depth, but I just wanted to point out that while an unlocked US iPhone will get you a regular plan with any of the major telecommunications providers in China, if you use China Mobile you will not be able to access 4G LTE or 3G data service even with a Chinese SIM — due to a discrepancy of data bands or something between Chinese iPhones and US iPhones, you will have to resort to 2G EDGE data on an iPhone bought in the US (which is almost unusable). Not sure about China Unicom or China Telecom — I use China Mobile and had to get a separate Chinese iPhone. At least that has been my experience….
Hey Alex, thanks for pointing that out. While you’re right that some iPhones (usually those from AT&T) don’t connect with 3G or 4G on China Mobile, all you have to do is switch over to Unicom, where you CAN get 3G. This is what I’m doing right now – it’s a lot cheaper to just get a new SIM card than to buy a new iPhone 😉
Thanks ,
I went and found out my IPhone with TMobile service was adequate and cost effective. I was able to access my non gmail email accounts and text at .20 cent per text. I also took an old unlocked IPhone that I was not able to locate a SIM card for while checking all the 7-11 ‘s from Hong Kong to Beijing.
First off, I wanted to thank you for all your information Josh. I downloaded all the books, pdf’s etc. I received my ecard last week, I bought the express vpn, and I called a global carrier called straight talk who uses verizon/t-mobile towers before I arrive in China on the 15th of this month. the global carrier “tracfone” offers an international sim/phone plan for 60usd a month it offers 25G of unlimited data, and you can call 15 unique phone numbers monthly both recieving and calling. they have great phone coverage, I have had this carrier since 2009 due to my hiking/outdoorsy lifestyle, because often times it’s difficult to get service in the mountains of georgia….they do/can offer services to “unlocked” phones for both GSM/CMDA towers in china, mexico, south america, united states, canada, and many other countires. or you can just buy their phones which are quite inexpensive, I am hoping this serves me well. I am not sure about the mobile to mobile, but they offer international calling. Hopefully this helps, and saves me money. your blogs and books are so much appreciated. I a still quite nervous, but at the same time excited to begin a new journey in hunan china. I am just trying to find an expat community to join. thanks again…
Thanks, Cynthia! I’m glad it’s been useful and I appreciate the input on your choice of phone service 🙂
will Vpn work if I purchase a Chinese mobile service but I downloaded Vpn before hand?
Hi Ling, the short answer is “yes, it should”. Not every VPN works great in China or on a mobile phone, so I would definitely check to determine the best VPNs for China.
Personally, I’ve had VPNs installed prior to adding Chinese mobile service to my phone AND after the mobile service was initiated. Both have worked fine.
My cell phone with T-Mobile worked just fine in May 2016. I had taken an old IPhone to purchase a sim card in China but was unsuccessful in purchasing one in China. So I e-mailed T-Mobile and they said that my other phone would work fine at .50 a text, $2.99 a minute telephone call and free data. I had to set up a yahoo e-mail account as g-mail, facebook is not allowed. Hope this helps
Hey Josh, I am traveling to Nanning, China in August and having read your articles, I feel much better. I do have one question about visas. I keep reading that I need a Letter of Invitation from the person I am visiting. Fact or fiction? This will be my first trip and I hope to make many more. China has always fascinated me and I hope to make several trips. Would you have any tips for airlines from San Francisco, CA.?
OK, if I buy a Sim card for my iPhone 6 and take photos with my iPhone will they remain on my iPhone when I switch sim Card when I arrive back in the US? Will everything remain on my iPhone 6 so I still have my notes and old photos ect when I switch Sim Cards in China?
Hey Josh,
My wife and i are getting ready to move to China, and i was wOndering if there are any carriers that you recommend in particular for Our phone plan. And Does data work the same way as minutes Do where you just pay for a certain amOunt in advanCe?
Thanks
Hey Colin, if you’re referring to Chinese carriers, the two biggest are China Telecom and China Unicom. Both are very good. You can purchase plans with different amounts of minutes and data bandwidth.
I just want to use my iphone 6 for taking photos while in china. To be on the safe side, I am not going to use it for any form of communication at all! So, based on that, what do I need to know in order to safeguard my camera. is there some adjustment i need to make? i’m obviously “technology challenged” to some degree.
Hey Joann! Great question. If I am you, I would make sure that my phone was put on “airplane mode” prior to landing in China. Then keep it in airplane mode. Don’t let your phone connect to the Chinese network at all and you should be fine. 🙂
Josh gave great advice. I was in China may 2016 and was able to text , take pictures and even make calls but (tmobile) advised me that the roaming charges could be extensive if the phone was on and not in airplane mode. text were just .50 each. i also stayed in touch with my office through email. every night while in china-i called my office in america for about $12.00 in cell phone charges for about 4-5 minutes.
Hi,
I spent one year in China and I am now in China for two months. In Chongqing I have not been able to have my cell phone work. I spent all day at China Telecom with no success. I was told then and again today that you need a citizen card to get a phone. A friend loaned me a aim from his old phone and I was able then to do business under his account. I am now going to use my mother-in-law s phone. My phone is good on WiFi.
If the China Telecom store is telling you you need a Chinese ID card to get a SIM card for your phone, then you need to go to a different (probably bigger) store. Foreigners all across China use their passports to get a SIM card from China Telecom and China Mobile, so my guess is that you’re going to a small community store that hasn’t the slightest clue what to do with a foreigner.
Hi ,I have just found this site and thank you so much for sharing your experience and know hows! I wonder if this page is up to date though because some cell phones (IE samsung) nowadays do not need sim cards so do you have any experience/knowledge regarding using them in china and whether it is possible to use the same phone to buy a local carrier? also how do you get the best data AVAILABLE as well as getting it to work because the last time I was in China, i cannot use the network there or connect to wifi even after getting someone to help.
Hi Chun Liu, thanks for reaching out. I know that the future of phones involves no SIM card, but I’m not aware that the future is now 🙂 Honestly, though – I’m not sure that a Chinese carrier would know what to do either. Everything in China revolves around your SIM card.
As far as the best data available, just as other places in the world, each carrier has their own strengths in coverage around China. You’ll just need to ask them based on where you’ll be headed and then get a package that fits your needs (they offer a number of them).
What is missing from here is the vital information that you cannot use wifi in restaurants, hotels, etc. in china unless you have a chinese sim card. why? because you need to receive a text with a pin code to connect to the wifi in 99% of restaurants and hotels in china. no simcard means no phone number, no chinese phone number means no texts, no pin codes, and thus no wi-fi.
That’s a great point, Jim – and I’ll likely update this article with some of that information. I think that 99% is a bit of a stretch – but it is becoming more and more common.
I agree with Jim. 99% of the public wifi is not accessible because you need to receive a pin code via text. Even with an international phone, I never get those pin numbers to work. You need a Chinese carrier and number to receive those.
I believe that 99% is a bit high, but I get what you’re saying. You can get onto most coffee shop or restaurant wifi without a SIM card. What you’re referring to is the airports, train stations and major hubs mostly.
great – thanks for this Information. if i had this before my 3 month trav….
just now i am in china and no chance (if i have luck maybe a student who speak english) to ask anybody for help me – the first time i feel me alone in asia.
We’ll be visiting China from 15 October to 5 November 2018. Can you please confirm that we can install the vpn in Australia BEFOREHAND and then just change over to a local Chinese sim card while in china, and the vpn should work fine?
Hi Daniel…yes, I can confirm that this will work just fine. In fact, that’s exactly the way I recommend you do it!
Is the data on oUr phones safe in china? Ive been told we might get hacked
Hi Marie, nobody knows for sure, but I know many foreign companies don’t allow their traveling employees to connect their company phones to the Chinese network for security reasons. If you do want to use your phone, I definitely recommend a VPN to use in China. Otherwise, you can always look at renting a phone to use while you’re in China.
Hey Josh, been following your site since relocating to China in recent months. I’ve found you’ve got a lot of helpful and useful tips for short term visits and long term living.
With regards to phones in China, one thing you did not include in your list that is very useful–especially to frequent international travelers–is Google’s Project Fi. Some people I have contacted using Fi in China have even mentioned they don’t need a VPN (I’ve yet to verify this for myself, though). While plans can be a little pricey – at least when you compare them to local China SIM card rates – the data service quality, call quality and availability are really worth the investment. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to look into it, check it out!
Thanks so much for the kind words and the suggestion, Frank! I’ve heard of Project Fi but never tried it. I’ll give it a look and perhaps update the article once I try it myself 🙂
Good article. We were in china (Xian) in 2017 and have sprint. no roaming connection cost, 20 cents per minute to call and free texts.
Two important insights from an 18-day trip just completed:
1) Express VPN worked reasonably well in areas where we could get wifi (hotels). You may need to switch the site it is trying to access (I changed routinely from HK to Tokyo to singapore) and was able to do pretty well.. remember to install it BEFORE entering China.
2) The Chinese are very restrictive on power banks. if the mAh is not printed on the powerbank, they will not allow you to bring it on a plane in carry on luggage. I had 2 confiscated because they were unmarked. you will not be able to convince irport screeners otherwise. of course, you cannot put them in your checked luggage. They apparently limit the MaH to 10000.
That’s very interesting to hear, Martin! Thanks for sharing…I haven’t run into that yet personally but it doesn’t surprise me about the power banks.
Bought China Unicom prepaid data sim card at Lo Wu Shenzhen Border week ago. It costed me RMB200 for the sim card while inside got credit of RMB100. The number come with +86 and use non-PRC passport to register. This package automatically deducts RMB6 for 800MB when got data usage incurred on that day. If no data usage incurred, it will not deduct any amount. You can even choose different package if you want to. For example, 7 days 14gb for RMB20 or 10GB for RMB for 30 days. Apart from that, every month it will automatically deduct RMB6 as monthly subscription despite is prepaid sim card. The shop keeper told us that, once it finished deducting the main account, this card will be automatically expired and unusable. You can find this China Unicom shop right after you go through Lu Wu immigration. As it is just outside of immigration, you can even purchase it even though you are not travelling from Hong Kong to Lo Wu. All you need to do just walk to the exit of immigration.
I heard that can purchase sim card at the Baiyun Airport Guangzhou. So, I when I fly out from Baiyun Airport Guangzhou I went to arrival hall to check it out. Indeed, where you can purchase sim card after you get your luggage and outside the place where you get your bag. The price is the same RMB180 for the sim card with RMB100 credit. It comes with 3GB data. Will automatically deduct RMB19 per month as subscription
Though its expensive, it is very useful and will not be able to get if were in smaller place of China. A lot of apps in China tagged to China Mobile. From the past experience, only able to get the simcard at airport or border of immigration. The best still from Lo Wu where monthly deduction only RMB6. All you need to do is top up to certain amount and let it deduct till your next visit to China.
Regards,
Homey Confinement
From my experience Using my unlocked phone in cHina is not just sImple buy a sim card. AppaRently, most Time we can only get 2G network becAuse the Phone From north america using different wirelEss bands from chiNese WireLess. Make sure you Bring a phone can Match with The chinese Wireless provider
This is true of older phones. Anything smartphone that was manufactured in the last 5 years will work just fine.