China Unicom mobile data now surprisingly cheap

[markcarter]

The last time I was in China (about 4 years ago) I remember having to make do with a 66RMB monthly plan which gave 300MB (or 500MB?) for the whole month. Nowhere near enough. And taking more expensive plans did not work out much cheaper per MB, so this was a big issue for someone like me who now typically uses more than 1GB every day.

 

So, arriving back in China this April I was amazed how much cheaper mobile data has become. For a simple pay as you go plan (China Unicom), whereby your data is counted per day rather than per month (and therefore is so much more easy to manage), charges are 1RMB per 500MB. As you cross the 500MB barrier, you are automatically charged another 1RMB for the next 500RMB, and notified by SMS accordingly.  This is almost 2 orders of magnitude cheaper than before!

 

Now, because China Unicom have this extremely annoying feature of billing by the calendar month (and the fact I'd arrived in China towards the end of the month), I was happy to go along with such a daily plan until I could switch to a monthly plan for May and beyond.

 

And that brings me to their all-you-can-eat monthly plan. 99RMB per month. Speeds are good and I get 4G in even the small villages I've been to in Yunnan.  I frequently use as much as 5GB per day and never use WiFi because the mobile data is almost always much more reliable.

 

I've spoken to a couple of other people about this 99RMB plan and they haven't heard of it (nor the 1RMB per 500MB plan).  Is it Yunnan only?  Or perhaps some special limited-time offer?

[david qhr]

I don't think it's normal.Mine is 99RMB plan with 1G, 300 mins national free conversation time and 200(??) short messages.I use CMCC, there can't be such a different between CMCC and China Unicom.

[艾墨本]

Perhaps Yunnan only. Data is restricted to the province. My plan is 50 RMB per month with China Mobile. I get 2 GB of data per month (which I have not once exceeded), but only 1 GB of that can be used while out of province. I wouldn't be surprised if the unlimited data ceases once leaving Yunan.

[markcarter]

Hmm, yes it might be something for only within Yunnan. They may have said that when I bought the sim, though I can't remember for sure.

[889]

So that's 2 RMB for 1 GB?

 

Can you post the fine print or a link?

[markcarter]

Yep, 2RMB for 1GB for one day. It won't roll over.  I think there was something like a 6RMB monthly charge on top of that. But anyway, you're getting 500MB per day for less than 40RMB per month. Sorry, no link or photo  

 

I got it from this branch in Kunming: https://goo.gl/maps/4bUycm7GTBT2 http://j.map.baidu.com/xorwI

[markcarter]

Here is the promo info.

[889]

Yes, on the 99RMB plan, unlimited data in Yunnan only. Outside Yunnan, 1GB per month.

[markcarter]

And now the unlimited (Yunnan only) monthly plan is down to 49RMB per calendar month.  On a good day, I get almost 20mbps over VPN+China Unicom 4G.

[lakesandrivers]

But why oh why is it Yunnan only?

[889]

Because the Chinese telecom operators charge what the local market will bear.

[艾墨本]

I signed up for the unlimited plan in Shanghai for 99 rmb/mo. The big perk is cancel whenever/no contract. Up to 20gb per month before throttling kicks in

[markcarter]

I must have used close to 20GB in the week since getting the Sim. I've no idea what the threshold is for Yunnan, nor the throttle rate.  Would be interested to know.

[艾墨本]

3 hours ago, markcarter said:

I've no idea what the threshold is for Yunnan, nor the throttle rate.  Would be interested to know.

 

Worth checking. I’ve never heard of any truly unlimited plans.

[Guest]

How do mobile data and call plans work here? cause i got 4GB + some minutes for calls per month for 200RMB for 1 year, is it because it was a student promotion (I got it in an office close to my former uni) or am I missing something?

[地球人]

I guess the price depends on the province? I was at Jilin last year, and it was EXTREMELY expensive: 80 RMB per month for...1 GB data plan!! With China unicom. Not even calls were included, and it worked only at my province, as it was "cheaper" that way. ( The plan was supposed to be 40 RMB/month, which sounded fine to me. However, the real deal was this: you have to pay TWICE a month: once at the start, and one at the end, which made it a total of 80RMB/month). Also, since it was locked for Jilin province only, when I came back from Shanghai, when I went and payed the other half of the 80 RMB, the following day they just cut my internet! When I went to discuss at unicom, the told me: ok, it's an extra 80 RMB. I said what!?? (I have to clarify here that Everytime I went with a Chinese friend just in case) so yes - I had to pay 160 RMB for one month 1 GB data!!! And then had to ask to be taken back to the 40 Yuan plan ( which was actually 80) because they had changed it for Nationwide plan without notifying me. Seriously, I'm thinking about a roaming data plan from my country this year might be cheaper.

[DarkestLight]

I'm in Shandong and my fellow students and I also have the 99¥ plan. We have unlimited internet and 300 minutes of domestic calls. 

I have a friend who pays 70¥ per month and she only gets unlimited internet.

[roddy]

Ha,  you made it to China!

[DarkestLight]

1 minute ago, roddy said:

Ha,  you made it to China!

Yes! ✌

[roddy]

Do put up some new posts telling us about your experiences and any problem, it'll help people in the future.