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Getting a local SIM Card/phone number for your mobile phone
Having a local mobile phone number in China can prove very convenient. If you are traveling with others it makes finding each other when you get separated or split up very simple. When I go to a market with someone we invariably become separated and we can easily reconnect. If you are stuck in traffic you can call and tell someone you are late. If you have a taxi driver who doesn't understand you can put him on the phone with a Chinese friend or your hotel. When you arrive at a friend's place but cannot see their door its covenient to ring them. If you order something from a shop they can ring you when its ready. People can also reach you from overseas and in a pinch you can use the phone to ring overseas (long distance calling cards are the cheap way to call overseas). Taking your own GSM mobile phone to China and getting a mobile phone SIM card is very easy. You don't have to be a resident and you don't even need a lot of cash. Go into a mobile phone shop - they are everywhere - and say "Sim Ka" while pointing at your mobile phone. You will be shown a list of numbers usually quite variable in price depending on the numbers in it. Eights are lucky and thus cause a phone number to be expensive, Any number ending in four is unlucky as the sound of four (si) also sounds like the word for death (si). Cards vary from RMB 60 to RMB 300 depending on how "good" the number. I went for a relatively bad number but did get one "8" in there.
This could be you! You should consider what company you use - there are many. China Mobile is said to be best for coverage all over China. If you will only be in Beijing then it may not be important, but if you are touring China then a China Mobile SIM card may be the best choice.
One hundred Renminbi prepaid card for modern China You then need to put time on your sim card - you can buy prepaid cards for 50 and 100 RMB. China Mobile charged me 0.6 RMB per minute which works out to be 166 minutes on a RMB100 card. You pay the same rate (0.6 RMB/min) whether you make or receive a call. You can call long distance - 00 + country code - but the rates are very high - ask when you buy the SIM card if you want to know. Best to use a Long Distance Calling Card from a land line. Remember the plug for your phone probably won't fit the socket - you'll need an adapter. Your phone charger most likely will accept 220 volts - look on it and see if it is rated for 100-240 volts. Most are these days. You can find adapters in China but if you get one before you go then you're set.
One hundred Renminbi prepaid card for classical China A few numbers for your phone book:
Police: 110 When calling a business such as an airline, hotel, restaurant or shop you can ask if they speak English, Japanese or whatever. Often they do or will find someone who does. They often may also hang up on you in the end if they can't so don't be insulted!
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