Where to buy a mobile phone & china unicom internet card in Beijing?

[artichoke]

Hi

I arrive in Beijing on Sat 10th Sep and would like to buy a mobile phone & get a local SIM card - that allows me to make international calls - soon after arrival (ie 10,11 or 12th Sep at the latest). I'm also wanting to get a China Unicom WLAN internet card (although not as urgent a requirement as the phone).

Where in Beijing are good shops to buy these items? Any shops in particular that I should avoid?

Any particular brand/company of SIM that I should get/avoid?

I'm keen to buy a new (cheap) Nokia phone (I've been using a Nokia at home, but it's about to die which is why I'm not taking it overseas with me).

I will be staying in Haidian and will likely be catching public transport, walking or if required can catch a cab if cheap to a good shop.

Thanks.

[roddy]

If you want a pay as you go sim card, you can pick one up almost anywhere - there are mobile phone shops all over, and they will also sell you the sim card. China Mobile PAYG cards will allow you to phone abroad, but at who knows what cost. There are a number of shops on the main Wudaokou strip which will sell you both phone and card.

If you want a contract SIM, you have to visit one of the 'business halls' where more complicated matters are taken care of, as you are a foreigner and will have to turn up with your passport and a deposit. Once you've got the SIM i think you then have to have international dialing activated, and that probably involves another deposit.

I'm not sure if the set-up is the same for China Unicom, but that's how I think it works on China Mobile. Buying IP cards is probably a much better bet for international calling than dialing direct from your mobile.

Similarly, if you want to get the China Unicom mobile internet card (not WLAN, I suspect) then you'll need to visit a business hall - I know there's one in Xidan, but there's probably another one closer to Haidian.

Roddy

[snarfer]

You could actually buy a prepaid SIM in the airport right by the exit from the baggage area. As far as phones are concerned, Chinese mobile phone retailers generally charge full retail. Maybe you can get a better price in Australia.

Or you could try this guy:

http://stores.ebay.com.cn/zwd16888_W0QQssPageNameZviQ3asibQ3astoreviewQQtZkm

You can save a good 20 percent, but he doesn't speak English. And you need to make an appointment.

My advice is that you bring your phone and buy the SIM in the airport. If you have a phone with you you're more likely to avoid endlessly circling Beijing in an airport taxi...

[trevelyan]

Unicom doesn't offer WLAN service -- its internet access is provided over its CDMA telephone network. If you have a laptop its probably about as economical as installing broadband -- and much cheaper than any Internet access offered by universities. Also -- because it is a commercial service, the Nanny is a bit less aggressive.

You'll need to buy a (1) telephone card, (2) a monthly service plan and (3) a special phone card for your computer. You get the first two from Unicom. The third can be bought either from Unicom or by yourself, if you want to save a bit of money. The best place to buy the card that isn't Unicom is Zhongguancun (the computer market). The Zhongguancun Unicom can point you a private merchant that specializes in the card -- I was directed to the 4th floor of the market right behind Hailong Market.

Note: Not all Unicom stores can set up the wireless Internet access, although you can pay your monthly bills at any of them. The two places I know that definitely can help you are: (1) the Unicom outlet right at Zhongguancun (right where Zhongguancun crosses the 4th ring road -- a short bike ride from the University district). If you're over in Chaoyang district, you can arrange everything at the Unicom outlet in the Yansha department store. Also worth knowing -- since you're a foreigner, Unicom won't let you sign up for the service without jumping through hoops. If you can get a mainlander to vouch for you and cough up a credit card number, you should be able to sign up directly. Otherwise you may have to get around this by paying a "deposit". Mine was about 1000 RMB about a year and a half ago. Keep the receipt and they'll return your cash when you stop the service.

As far as I know, the service plans are:

100 RMB/mo for 1Gb of data traffic (30 Mb/day)

200 RMB/mo for 5Gb of data traffic (150 Mb/day)

Something like 5 RMB/Mb otherwise, or if you exceed your monthly quota. If you get better rates please MSG me so I can change my own plan.... ;)

[Steve_Beijing]

Warning About the China Unicom Shop beside Lush in Wudaokou

Okay ... I just bought my wife a new iPad 64g 4g and I needed to get a SIM card.

I went into this shop since it has a gigantic blue sign saying China Unicom out front and I know this has the capability to deal with iPads.

I asked the guy the prices and he states 600 for 6 months and 1200 for 12 months.

We only wanted 6 months.

He asked for the money and disappeared into the back room.

He comes back a few minutes later with two sim cards: one a 12 month China Unicom and the other some garbage 6 month SIM. He tells us if we want the China Unicom we have to pay another 600 or we get this other piece of crap that is slower.

I asked for our money back.

He wouldn't give it back.

He said we either take the sim or nothing.

Moral of the story ... DO NOT DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE. They still have our money.

Make a stink and you find yourself surrounded by 8 store clerks.

If they are like this about sims, imagine what it will be like to buy a phone from them!!!