^ they prorate. SO plunk down 100rmb and you should be cool for the few weeks you are here.

JUST BEWARE THE MANY PHONE THIEVES AROUND CHINA.

Their plans' cost structures really don't make any sense!
http://3g.10010.com/3gindex/3gfee/A_plan.html

The best is to take the cheapest plans and pay the overtime/excess KB.
Additional fees are real cheap and you get a ridiculous discount with the more expensive plans (that you will pay for no matter what).

E.G.
66RMB plan = 50min/300MB/120SMS
96RMB plan = 240min/300MB/0SMS

Now if you take the 66rmb plan and use it for the same amount of time you'd use the 96rmb plan.
1 extra minute is 0.2RMB, 190min= 38RMB
Total you pay 104RMB, that is just a 8RMB penalty compared to the 96RMB plan AND you get 120 free SMS...
The people who calculated those prices were definitely mentally challenged!

duriangris wrote:66RMB plan = 50min/300MB/120SMS

i use this plan and never had many overages

Just wanted to add my .02$ here for the 3gsolutions company listed above. I used them to order some cards for a recent/current shanghai trip. Very good communication (only time delay between I am sure in country and usa), easy purchase of cards, price was reasonable - paid about 13-15$ more per card to have it ordered, activated and delivered to my hotel location in shanghai PRIOR to arrival. Easy paypal transfer and near immediate confirmation. I received the phone numbers PRIOR to departure and arrival, so I was able to setup my call forwarding service from the usa (only 2 cents per minute to call Chinese mobiles)

Upon arrival, cards had been delivered to my corp. appt. location perfectly, cards were activated, cards worked in regular unlocked cell phones and apple iphone 3gs perfectly - no pin, no APN setup, no calling the provider to activate or authenticate and were able to be used for data services, textfree, skype, vpn, email, internet, receive calls, make local chinese domestic calls without any issue.

Clearly, I am satisfied and would recommend the service to others. Certainly, one can easily go into a local china unicom store in a major city and present identification, 100 RMB and get a card but for the convenience of having it all done for ME at least it was worth the extra couple lattes to have it all done and I didn't have to make any time to do.

Thanks for making it so simple/easy.

I just got the 66rmb prepaid, no contract,(bill comes/calculated after you use the service),from Plan A, it includes
- 240 SMS per month
- 50 minutes talk time
- 300 MB of data

there was a 500rmb deposit, but this but quite possibly might be waived if you use a locals id, instead of foreign passport.

(and they got a promo going...i'm not going to get my contract out to see, but i paid 120 extra and it ends being around 30 - 40 month but you have to sign a one year contract!

I was going to get the 286 (or 386) plan, but funk that! its actually more expensive when comparing equal usage of call/text/data (50min call/240sms/950MB data):
- 66 plan would cost 261RMB (because you only pay for extra data)
- 286 plan would cost 317RMB (because you pay for all calls/texts)

And with the 286 plan, you're guaranteed to pay that! You go home for a month, use no data, sorry pay 286

This math works for every A Plan all the way up to the 3GB/886rmb plan.

i used to have a China mobile normal NON 3g service, and was spending at least 50 - 150 a month anyways

Don't be an ass like i was, get the 66 plan!

500 rmb deposit? I never had to put down any at all.... And I have the 66mb plan as well

I had a really good experience with 3gsolutions.com.cn and wanted to share it with everyone in this forum.
I did share this post in one other forum but I thought I save everyone from opening one more window (or tab).

Here is the post:
Question was: Did anyone have had experience dealing with 3gsoluntions.com.cn so far?

My answer:
Yes I did and despite my sceptical proposition towards ordering stuff direct from China (...had bad experiences) I was desperate enough to give it a try.

I'm glad I did... the customer service was much better and quicker than what I'm used to here in Australia!
Arriving in Shanghai I popped in the SIM card and immediately could call my friends and send emails. I didn't have to change any setting.

Here is what happend:
I asked if they can send the SIM card for my iPhone 4 within less than a week to Australia. They confirmed and indeed I received it within that time.
However in the communication they must have missed the detail that I needed a micro SIM for an iPhone 4.
After a quick email they send me instruction to cut the SIM myself in response. It was straight forward and done within 4-5 minutes.
They said if the SIM doesn't work (after me cutting the SIM to fit the iPhone 4) they would send me a new one to my hotel in Shanghai.
(there was not enough time for them to send me a new one to Australia before my flight)

They seen to be one of the better chinese companies who show some care about their customers. Well done.

PS: China Unicom SIM cards expire if you haven't recharge them for 2 months.

pantalon wrote:PS: China Unicom SIM cards expire if you haven't recharge them for 2 months.

That means if you don't have enough money to pay your account balance on the 1st of the month after 2 months your number and sim are dead

Hi Guys,
I have noticed that the China Unicom Nationwide Sim card (via http://www.3gsolutions.com.cn/page/simcard/) comes with IDD 17900. Has anyone tried call forwarding to a overseas number using IDD 17900? Thanks!

jeffinflorida wrote:500 rmb deposit? I never had to put down any at all.... And I have the 66mb plan as well

China Unicom has two types of paying methods. One is prepaid, and the other one is they send you a monthly bill and then you pay it online or in person. If you went with the second paying type, 500rmb deposit is then waived. This is what I was told at the China Unicom store when I went to apply for a new number.

However if you wish to make a call internationally, such feature will require you to make a deposit of 500rmb... well, fully refundable if you cancel the international calling feature later on.

faust-of-winter wrote:

jeffinflorida wrote:500 rmb deposit? I never had to put down any at all.... And I have the 66mb plan as well

China Unicom has two types of paying methods. One is prepaid, and the other one is they send you a monthly bill and then you pay it online or in person. If you went with the second paying type, 500rmb deposit is then waived. This is what I was told at the China Unicom store when I went to apply for a new number.

However if you wish to make a call internationally, such feature will require you to make a deposit of 500rmb... well, fully refundable if you cancel the international calling feature later on.

Is it possible to get the same 66RMB plan if you go for the prepaid option? Did you go to the store with a Chinese citizen or you just gave them your passport and nothing else?

I am moving to Shanghai and I don't understand these plans very well. Do they charge you when you are in other town with these plans as mobile companies are regional? Or are they all-China plans?

Thanks!

I can tell you I have the 66rmb a month plan. Gives me 300mb a month download. Call minutes and 200 messages.

I had to pay 100 rmb to China Unicom which was credited to my account. You should have your passport but I didn't and used my Florida drivers license as ID and they were ok with that.

Go to a Real Unicom store as in a corporate outlet.

jeffinflorida wrote:I can tell you I have the 66rmb a month plan. Gives me 300mb a month download. Call minutes and 200 messages.

I had to pay 100 rmb to China Unicom which was credited to my account. You should have your passport but I didn't and used my Florida drivers license as ID and they were ok with that.

Go to a Real Unicom store as in a corporate outlet.

Thanks Jeff!

I have 4M internets (being upgraded to 20M in June) and for 1880 a year (wifey's work comps for it though) that includes 300 minutes a month split between the home phone a 2G card and a 3G card. The 3G card gives something like 250 SMS a month and 300MB. Have yet to go over the limits.

hacendado wrote:

faust-of-winter wrote:

jeffinflorida wrote:500 rmb deposit? I never had to put down any at all.... And I have the 66mb plan as well

China Unicom has two types of paying methods. One is prepaid, and the other one is they send you a monthly bill and then you pay it online or in person. If you went with the second paying type, 500rmb deposit is then waived. This is what I was told at the China Unicom store when I went to apply for a new number.

However if you wish to make a call internationally, such feature will require you to make a deposit of 500rmb... well, fully refundable if you cancel the international calling feature later on.

Is it possible to get the same 66RMB plan if you go for the prepaid option? Did you go to the store with a Chinese citizen or you just gave them your passport and nothing else?

I am moving to Shanghai and I don't understand these plans very well. Do they charge you when you are in other town with these plans as mobile companies are regional? Or are they all-China plans?

Thanks!

As far as I know, calling from Shanghai to another province is considered domestic long-distance. Your basic monthly charge will stay as it is (say you have the 66rmb/month plan, they will charge you 66rmb/month, and add in any additional domestic long-distance calls you've made, other add-on features... etc). I'm pretty new to China Unicom myself and I'm still discovering and understanding their rates and all. Frankly its quite annoying since they can tell you one thing but the truth will never be told.. until late late late later.

Oh and yes, I went to the China Unicom store (the authentic one, not the authorized resellers, distributors, local telecom shops) with my passport, and that's all you need. Or as Jeff have mentioned, ID will work just as good as a passport.

^ How much cash did you have to pay to get the sim and service?

Shanghai, Newark, and Scranton! I once lived in Scranton when I went to a tech school way back when.

i got the 66rmb plan , no deposit, no id card/passport needed

^ good^ it works for me. no reason to change it

jeffinflorida wrote:^ How much cash did you have to pay to get the sim and service?

Shanghai, Newark, and Scranton! I once lived in Scranton when I went to a tech school way back when.

I paid about 126rmb (or was it 116.. or 136.. darn it memory), and 500rmb deposit for international calling.. I used to drive around with my college buddies from NJ to Pittsburgh, what a good time memory.

I lived in Queens NYC and commuted to Scranton for school Mon - Fri. Scranton was much different than NYC of course but scienic outside the city.

Hi Guys,
Sorry for re-posting, promise not to make it a habit.

I have noticed that the China Unicom Nationwide Sim card (via http://www.3gsolutions.com.cn/page/simcard/) comes with IDD 17900. Has anyone tried "call forwarding" to an overseas number (e.g. Hong Kong) using IDD 17900? Does it work and what are the costs?

Thanks again!