How to Have Internet Access in China and Where to Buy SIM card for China

HOW TO HAVE INTERNET ACCESS IN CHINA AND WHERE TO BUY A SIM CARD FOR CHINA

You have three (3) options:

1. Buy a vpn ready sim card at Lazada before your trip. 

Why do you need a VPN ready SIM card?

In China, you cannot access non-Chinese apps like Google, Facebook or Instagram, if you do not have a vpn ready sim card. You need to separately install a vpn to do so. 

I got my sim card from Happy Telecom here: https://s.lazada.com.ph/s.RessQ  It uses China unicorn as the provider. The regular price is 660 pesos for 8 gb good for 15 days. I was able to get a discounted price during the lazada sale at only 420 pesos. They delivered it to my home before I left for my trip so I was ready to connect to the internet when I landed in China. 

 

My review: The sim card from happy telecom is very easy to use. You install it in the first sim card slot of your phone before you land. It receives a signal when you land at the airport and can immediately use it. I used it in Beijing and Shanghai and on the train from Beijing to Shanghai. The speed is even faster than the speed of the hotel wifi. I was also able to access all apps that I regularly use, which are non-Chinese apps. The only con is that the sim is purely data. So you cannot make local calls. If you need to make local calls with your sim, you can buy a sim card at the airport.

MY TIP: Make sure to get 1gb per day data. I noted that while browsing in China, I consumed 500-750 gb per day, browsing and uploading photos, and using alipay for my purchases, and my metro and taxi trips. So it's safe to get a 1gb per day sim for your trip. 

2. Buy a sim card at the airport. 

We landed at Beijing Capital Airport so my information is on stalls selling sim card at Beijing Capital airport. 

You can find the stall near baggage claim area. We arrived in Beijing at 12 noon. I tried to find out the stall's operating hours, but the person manning the stall couldn't understand what I was saying. You can view the rates from the photos below.

The con of buying a sim card at the airport in China is that it is not vpn ready. So you need to separately install a vpn to be able to access non-Chinese apps like Google. Note that you can only install a vpn prior to your arrival in China. 

This is at Beijing Capital airport, near baggage claim

3. Avail of the roaming offers by your telecom provider. 

This is actually the more expensive one which I do not recommend unless you do not have time to purchase a sim card. For example, Globe telecom offers 3gb for 3 days at 999 pesos, 5gb for 5 days at 1599, and 7gb at 7 days for 2199. It's 3 times the cost of a vpn ready sim I got at Lazada. The only advantage of this is the convenience of getting data by simply registering in the app. Also, by using using data roaming, you can access all your non-Chinese apps. 

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