| 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! In this article we will teach you how to Get a SIM Card in China.  Step 01: Search for the nearest 营业厅 (yíngyètīng) in your area. 营业厅 (yíngyètīng) - store/business hall China’s 3 most popular providers are: 中国移动 (Zhōngguó Yídòng) - China Mobile 中国联通 (Zhōngguó Liántōng) - China Unicom 中国电信 (Zhōngguó Diànxìn) - China Telecom 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 (hùzhào) - passport 6个月以上有效期 (liù gè yuè yǐshàng yǒuxiàoqī) - 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. 取号排队 (qǔ hào pái duì) - to get a number and wait in line Step 04: Get the SIM Once it’s your turn, come to the counter and say: 我要办SIM卡。 (Wǒ yào bàn SIM kǎ) - I’d like to sign up for a sim card. You might be asked to choose a package – 套餐 (tàocān): 你需要什么样的套餐？ (Nǐ xūyào shénme yàng de tàocān) - What kind of plan are you looking for? 套餐 (tàocān) includes a combination of services such as data, talk time, text messages, and other features. Here’s some useful vocabulary to choose a package: 套餐 (tàocān) ∙ package / plan 语音 (yǔyīn) ∙ calls 流量 (liúliàng) ∙ data / traffic 超出套餐 (chāochū tàocān) ∙ to exceed the plan 费用 (fèiyong) ∙ price Step 05: Get the SIM Once you’ve chosen a plan, the staff will help you activate the SIM card and complete the registration process. 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. |
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