There
are
two
service
systems
for
China
Cell
Phone.
One
is GSM,
the
other
is CDMA.
China
Mobile's
typical
feature
is the
GSM
service
system,
while
China
Unicom
treats
the
CDMA
service
system
as his
dearest
child.
The
GSM
service
system
means
global
system
for
mobile
telephones.
GSM
systems
are
used
in nearly
200
countries
(with
600
million
subscribers)
worldwide,
from
Europe
(where
the
standard
originated)
throughout
Africa,
Asia
and
Australasia.
The
good
news
for
world
travelers
is that
most
cell
phone
manufacturers
offer
dual-band
(900
and
1900
MHz),
tri-band
(900,
1800
and
1900
MHz)
and
a growing
number
of quad-band
(800,
900,
1800
and
1900
MHz)
phones
that
will
work
practically
anywhere
GSM
systems
are
found.
The
CDMA
service
system
means
Code
Division
Multiple
Access.
It offers
some
international
roaming
capability,
though
nothing
like
the
near-global
coverage
available
from
GSM
carriers.
In actual
application,
GSM
has
such
widespread
following
and
rich
features
to keep
CDMA
from
being
much
of a
threat.
However,
it's
entirely
possible
that
CDMA
will
contribute
to the
eventual
demise
of TDMA
in the
Americas,
though
that
time
is likely
to be
many
years
away
for
the
US and
Canada,
and
much
longer
for
Latin
America.
What are two
major wireless
service providers
in China?
Like
GSM
and
CDMA
service
system,
they
are
the
parent
of china
wireless
service
system.
China
Mobile
and
China
Unicom
occupy
the
peak
situation
of China
wireless
service
providers.
Each
year,
these
two
guys
fight
for
the
market
shares.
However,
as for
the
good
quality
of
China
Mobile
GSM
service
system;
China
Unicom
faces
the
unavoidable
challenges.
Other than China
Mobile and China
Unicom, are
there any major
wireless service
providers in
China?
Certainly.
There
are
some
third
part
wireless
solution
providers.
Take
PandaPhone
Wireless
Solution
for
example,
PandaPhone
also
offers
China
Mobile
SIM
card,
using
the
same
GSM
service
system,
however,
PandaPhone
will
provide
the
travelers
with
marvelous
24/7
backup
service.
Even
sometimes,
PandaPhone
will
sell
some
quite
economic
and
unique
wireless
solution
service
package,
which
you
cannot
get
access
to it
in any
other
wireless
solution
providers.
What are major
services and
products China
Mobile could
offer?
China
Mobile
could
offer
China
SIM
card,
China
recharge
card
service
and
the
other
Communication
value-added
services,
such
as voicemail,
GPS,
MMS
and
so forth.
What are major
services and
products China
Mobile could
offer for Foreign
Travelers?
China
Mobile
services
focus
on local
Chinese.
For
the
foreign
travelers,
they
try
to provide
them
with
local
rate,
China
SIM
card,
recharge
service,
and
most
communication
value-added
services.
But
for
the
international
calls,
the
strict
limitation
is available
for
anyone,
especially
for
foreign
travelers.
If you
want
to apply
for
an international
call
service,
the
limitation
is:
* You
need
go to
the
China
Mobile
Communication
Hall
to do
Solid
registration,
which
we also
call
it as
IDD
Authentication.
You
need
to have
a Chinese
friend
or Chinese
relative
so that
they
can
lend
the
ID to
you
to make
an IDD
authentication.
* You
need
keep
the
copy
of your
passport
of SIM
card
* You
must
have
a deposit
in your
SIM
credit
account.
Why China mobile
will charge
roaming fee
even traveling
in China mobile
network?
China
perhaps
is the
only
Country
which
will
charge
roaming
fee
even
traveling
in China
Mobile
network.
Mostly,
it is
because
the
date
exchange
around
the
cities.
How to avoid
roaming charge
if you are traveling
in different
cities in China?
If you
want
to cover
the
roaming
cost
during
your
China
travel,
it is
better
to purchase
a
China
SIM
card
which
works
national.
This
SIM
card
have
no roaming
charge,
the
domestic
charge
is the
only
charge
for
incoming
calls
or out
coming
calls
when
you
are
traveling
in different
cities
in China.
And
more,
Like
PandaPhone
– third
part
wireless
solution
provider,
it have
a China
Panda
SIM
card.
This
special
SIM
card
is postpaid,
no roaming
charge,
national
coverage.
The
best
pet
for
China
different
cities
trip.
General speaking,
what is good
about China
Mobile and what
is the disadvantage?
China
mobile
let
you
enjoy
the
large
coverage,
high
quality,
rich
variety
of business
and
first-class
customer
service.
However,
the
limitation
for
international
calls
or services
for
foreign
traveler
is strict.
The
customer
service
line
is quite
busy,
keeping
you
listen
the
music.
They
speak
Chinese;
the
language
block
is mostly
available.
What's
the
worse,
even
the
language
blocks
are
not
available
any
more,
strict
conditions
for
service
application
is awful.
China Cell
Phone SIM
card FAQ
What can you
do with a China
Cell Phone SIM
card?
With
a China
Cell
Phone
SIM
card,
you
enjoy
a local
china
phone
number,
local
airtime
rate,
low
cost
for
international
calls.
In addition
to the
economical
sake,
a China
SIM
card
assures
that
you
can
be reached
by your
Chinese
business
partners
and
friends.
According
to business
experience,
it is
more
frequent
reached
by local
number
but
not
your
abroad
cell
phone
number.
What is prepaid
SIM card? What
is Postpaid
SIM card?
A pre-paid
phone
card
is a
card
you
purchase
to make
long
distance
phone
calls.
Many
people
use
a pre-paid
phone
card
because
of the
card's
convenience
- it
can
be used
anywhere
and,
because
you
pay
in advance,
there
is no
bill.
Pre-paid
phone
cards
are
popular
among
travelers,
students,
people
who
frequently
call
overseas,
and
those
who
haven't
selected
a preferred
long
distance
telephone
company.
A post-paid
SIM
card
is a
card
you
purchase
to make
long
time
phone
calls.
Many
businessmen
use
a post-paid
phone
card
because
of the
card's
post-paid
– it
will
not
be cut
off
and,
because
you
pay
after
bill,
you
can
check
the
detailed
calling
list
one
by one.
Post
– paid
SIM
cards
are
popular
among
long
– term
travelers,
businessmen,
government
officers,
actors
or actress,
people
who
frequently
call
long
–time,
and
those
who
need
to have
a 100%
well
–connected
through
communication
during
their
travels.
For travelers,
how to choose
prepaid or postpaid
SIM card for
your travel?
Pre-paid
phone
cards
are
popular
among
travelers,
students,
people
who
frequently
call
overseas,
and
those
who
haven't
selected
a preferred
long
distance
telephone
company.
While
Post
– paid
SIM
cards
are
popular
among
long
– term
travelers,
businessmen,
government
officers,
actors
or actress,
people
who
frequently
call
long
–time,
and
those
who
need
to have
a 100%
well
–connected
through
communication
during
their
travels.
You
can
have
a whole
picture
about
your
call
situation,
if you
do not
frequently
make
calls,
a prepaid
SIM
card
is sure
enough.
However,
if you
have
many
calls
and
frequently
run
out
of minutes,
a post-paid
SIM
card
is your
first
choice.
What is service
life of prepaid
SIM card, and
how to calculate
when it will
expire?
The
service
life
means
the
duration
you
can
use
the
wireless
service
of this
SIM
card,
such
as making
calls,
receiving
SMS,
setting
up voicemails.
The
service
life
begins
when
you
make
the
first
call.
The
deadline
is placed
on the
SIM
card,
usually
about
three
months
to six
months.
If
you
want
to calculate
the
service
life,
please
check
the
service
life
first,
and
then
remember
the
first
call
date.
We are
sure
you
will
figure
out
the
correct
end
date.
What is Panda
China SIM card?
Why it is best
choice for foreign
travelers?
Panda
China
SIM
card
is also
work
with
China
Mobile
GSM
service
system.
It let
you
enjoy
the
large
coverage,
high
quality,
rich
variety
of business
and
first-class
customer
service.
However,
more
best
features
are
available:
* Never
run
out
of the
minutes
* Pay
after
the
trip
* Low
charge
comparing
with
China
SIM
card
sale.
This
Panda
China
SIM
card
will
be inactive
when
the
trip
finished.
However
you
can
extend
to any
days
with
$1/day.
It is
the
most
economical
gift
for
the
short
– term,
one
time
traveler.
Do I need to
activate my
China SIM card?
No,
China
SIM
card
purchased
from
China
do not
need
to activate.
When
you
make
the
first
call,
your
SIM
card
will
be activated
by itself.
Sometimes,
your
SIM
card
provider
remind
you
of calling
them
to activation,
they
mean
they
will
activate
the
voicemail
or other
service
in SIM
card
but
not
for
the
basic
calling
service.
How long can
I keep my SIM
card?
Each
SIM
card
has
a service
life.
In the
service
life,
you
are
certain
to easily
keep
your
SIM
card.
The
way
to extend
the
duration
is to
add
more
airtime
into
your
credit
account.
One
$16
recharge
card
will
extend
three
months
for
your
China
SIM
card.
What should
I do if my prepaid
SIM card expired?
If your
prepaid
SIM
card
expires,
China
Mobile
will
charge
some
costs
to hold
the
SIM
card
until
there
is no
any
credit
in your
account.
In these
days,
you
can
do the
recharge
service
to extend
the
service
life,
if not,
when
the
credit
card
turns
to be
$0,
your
SIM
card
cannot
be used
any
more.
How to add more
minutes for
my China prepaid
SIM card?
1、Scratch
card
Customers
can
buy
scratch
cards
from
Communication
service
center
or dealers
and
recharge
account
by calling
13800138000.
2、Electronic
recharge
tickets
Customers
can
use
electronic
card
recharge
to recharge
account
at the
multi-media
self-service
terminals
of Communication
service
center
or at
the
Good
Easy
self-service
terminals
of subway
stations,
residence
districts,
banks,
and
24-hour
chain
stores.
Electronic
recharge
tickets
can
be recharged
by dialing
recharge
number.
3、Aerial
recharge
If you
need
to use
this
way
to recharge,
the
recharge
fee
will
be available
upon
the
different
dealers.
They
will
send
a message
to recharge
for
you
by using
a special
SIM
card.
If it's
recharged
successfully,
you
will
receive
a feedback
from
them.
The
recharge
method
is the
most
safety
method
while
you
travel
around
China
in that
the
different
cities
enjoys
different
recharge
systems.
If I am traveling
in different
areas of China,
Do I need different
SIM card?
Of course
not.
Most
country
specialize
card
can
work
national,
but
they
will
have
a terrible
roaming
charge
for
it.
If you
are
going
to travel
in different
areas
of China,
it is
not
necessary
for
you
to purchase
the
different
SIM
card;
you
can
find
a China
SIM
card
work
national
which
also
enjoys
no roaming
charge.
Like
PandaPhone,
most
third
part
wireless
solution
providers
offers
this
kind
of China
SIM
card,
working
national
China
with
no roaming
charge,
quality
wireless
service.
Does different
cities's China
mobile card
issue different
SIM card? What
is difference
between the
SIM card I purchased
in shanghai
versus the SIM
card I purchased
I Beijing?
Yes,
different
city's
China
mobile
card
issue
different
SIM
card.
Just
like
German
SIM
card
and
UK SIM
card,
Beijing
SIM
card
and
Shanghai
SIM
card
offer
different
high-value-added
services,
while
work
with
in the
same
GSM
wireless
service
network.
The
differences
are:
*
The
Local
coverage
for
low
rate
is different.
Beijing
SIM
card
can
only
enjoys
the
low
rate
in Beijing;
when
travelers
out
of Beijing,
the
roaming
charge
will
come
into
exist.
So does
Shanghai
SIM
card.
*
SIM
card
only
can
be recharged
by local
(Beijing/Shanghai)
recharge
card.
If travelers
purchase
the
other
city's
recharge
card,
the
recharge
service
fails.
*
SIM
card
enjoys
the
different
promotions.
Different
cities
have
different
promotions
for
SIM
card
services.
Some
may
have
voicemail
service;
the
others
may
have
an inexpensive
international
IP service.
Due
to the
large
difference
between
the
city
SIM
cards,
third
part
wireless
solution
providers
offer
a China
SIM
card
to cover
the
differences.
This
China
SIM
card
work
national
China,
enjoying
the
low
rate
no matter
where
you
travel
around
China.
How can I add
more minutes
if it is in
the middle of
night or in
an environment
which no one
can speak Chinese?
If so,
it is
unlikely
for
you
to go
to the
China
Mobile
Communication
Halls
or to
go the
corner
shops
for
help.
The
way
to solve
it is
to try
the
third
method
to apply
for
aerial
recharge
service.
Many
third
part
wireless
solution
providers'
website
have
this
service.
They
are
24/7
English
customer
service,
directly
recharge,
and
what's
more,
there
are
no differences
to them
where
you
purchase
the
SIM
card
from.
They
will
give
the
most
convenience
solution
for
you
according
to your
situation.
But
remember;
never
forget
to leave
the
second
contact
number
with
them.
Sometimes,
if your
cell
phone
is run
out
of the
minutes
and
there
are
some
problems
with
your
SIM
card,
they
are
able
to contact
with
you
in the
due
time.
How do I identify
if the recharge
card is right
for my China
SIM card?
To identify
whether
the
recharge
card
is right
or not,
what
you
should
do is
to know
where
your
China
SIM
card
belongs
to.
Dose
the
SIM
card
belong
to
China
Mobile
or China
Unicom?
China
Mobile:
purchase
China
mobile
recharge
SIM
card
(mostly,
the
first
three
number
of China
Mobile
cell
phone
is
139,
138,
137,
136,
135,
134(0-8)
and
159)
China
Unicom:
purchase
China
Unicom
recharge
SIM
card
(mostly,
the
first
three
number
of China
Unicom
cell
phone
is
130
or 131)
If your
SIM
card
from
China
Mobile
purchase
China
Mobile
recharge
card,
if from
China
Unicom,
do China
Unicom
recharge
card.
What is difference
between China
SIM card and
Hong Kong SIM
card? What is
China/Hong Kong
SIM card?
The
difference
is coverage
and
rate.
China
SIM
card's
coverage
is national
China,
while
the
Hong
Kong
SIM
card's
is only
national
Hong
Kong.
As
for
China/Hong
Kong
Dual
SIM
card,
the
coverage
is not
only
national
China
but
also
national
Hong
Kong.
However,
for
this
SIM
card,
the
rate
in China
is as
low
as China
SIM
card
while
in Hong
Kong,
the
rate
will
be a
bit
more
expensive
than
Hong
Kong
SIM
card.
How can I check
my balance left
in my China
SIM card?
If you
want
to check
balance
left
in your
China
SIM
card,
you
can
call
China
area
code
+10086.
The
China
Mobile
customer
center
will
do the
check
for
you.
However,
they
all
speak
Chinese
and
keep
you
listening
to the
music
to wait.
Another
way
to check
is call
at your
SIM
card
providers;
they
will
do the
check
for
you
also
with
perfect
English
service.
How to add more
minutes by myself
if I got the
PIN code?
If you
get
the
PIN
code
for
your
SIM
card,
what
you
need
to do
is follow
the
instruction
from
the
providers.
Each
recharge
card
provider
will
send
an instruction
with
PIN
code
to you,
no matter
how
busy
they
are.
How can I confirm
my credit account
has been added?
Mostly,
when
you
phone
can
keep
working,
it means
your
recharge
service
has
been
done.
Nevertheless,
if you
want
to double
check
your
balance,
what
you
need
to do
to confirm
the
credit
is to
check
your
balance.
If you
want
to check
balance
left
in your
China
SIM
card,
you
can
call
China
area
code
+10086.
The
China
Mobile
customer
center
will
do the
check
for
you.
However,
they
all
speak
Chinese
and
keep
you
listening
to the
music
to wait.
Another
way
to check
is call
at your
SIM
card
providers;
they
will
do the
check
for
you
also
with
perfect
English
service.
What is aerial
recharge in
China? How long
will it take
to refill my
China SIM card?
If you
need
to use
this
way
to recharge,
the
recharge
fee
will
be available
upon
the
different
dealers.
They
will
send
a message
to recharge
for
you
by using
a special
SIM
card
or sending
mail
to your
mailbox.
If it's
recharged
successfully,
you
will
receive
a feedback
from
them.
The
recharge
method
is the
most
safety
method
while
you
travel
around
China
in that
the
different
cities
enjoys
different
recharge
systems.
Mostly,
aerial
recharge
will
take
10minutes
to 1
hour
to finish
the
recharge
depending
on the
situation
of recharge
system.
What's the difference
between the
aerial recharge
with the recharge
card?
Aerial
recharge
is more
convenience,
no matter
it is
in the
midnight
or if
there
are
some
Chinese
around
you,
you
can
apply
for
the
service
any
time.
There
are
no mistakes
on wrong
recharge
card,
on language
block,
on service
quality.
Recharge
card
is different;
you
need
to confirm
whether
it is
the
right
one
for
your
China
SIM
card.
Although
it can
be found
on the
corner
shops,
it is
hard
to get
it anytime
when
you
need
it.
Other FAQ
Does China cell
phone have voicemail
function? Is
it difficult
to use?
Yes,
China
cell
phone
has
voicemail
function.
And
it is
not
difficult
to use.
What
you
need
to do
is to
apply
the
service
from
your
SIM
card
providers
or you
can
go to
China
Mobile
Communication
Hall
to apply
for
the
service.
Can I have international
calling function
in my china
cell phone?
How to activate
it?
If you
want
to have
international
calling
function
in your
China
cell
phone,
it needs
you
to activate
it.
For
foreign
travelers,
it is
a bit
of difficult
to apply
it by
themselves
for
the
strict
limitation
of China
Mobile.
If you
want
to activate
the
international
service,
you
need
do:
* You
need
go to
the
China
Mobile
Communication
Hall
to do
Solid
registration,
which
we also
call
it as
IDD
Authentication.
You
need
to have
a Chinese
friend
or Chinese
relative
so that
they
can
lend
the
ID to
you
to make
an IDD
authentication.
* You
need
keep
the
copy
of your
passport
of SIM
card
* You
must
have
a deposit
in your
SIM
credit
account.
Can I have international
roaming function
in my China
cell pone? How
to activate
it?
If you
want
to have
international
calling
function
in your
China
cell
phone,
it needs
you
to activate
it.
For
foreign
travelers,
it is
a bit
of difficult
to apply
it by
themselves
for
the
strict
limitation
of China
Mobile.
If you
want
to activate
the
international
service,
you
need
do:
* You
need
go to
the
China
Mobile
Communication
Hall
to do
Solid
registration,
which
we also
call
it as
IDD
Authentication.
You
need
to have
a Chinese
friend
or Chinese
relative
so that
they
can
lend
the
ID to
you
to make
an IDD
authentication.
* You
need
keep
the
copy
of your
passport
of SIM
card
* You
must
have
a deposit
in your
SIM
credit
account.
What is dialing
instruction
for making and
receiving calls
with China cell
phone?
Dialing
instruction
for
making
and
receiving
calls
with
China
cell
phone
is:
From
China
to US:
001-area
code-phone
No.
From
US (overseas)
to My
phone:
011-86-your
cell
phone
number
From
China
to International:
00-country
code-area
code-phone
No.
Domestic
calls
In China:
0-area
code-
phone
No./direct
cell
phone
No.
Local
calls:
Direct
phone
No.
What you need
to know about
China country
code? Area code?
What is major
cutis's code?
The
country
code
of China
is 86.
Each
Chinese
city
has
its
own
area
code
and
major
city
code.
Area
code
should
be added
before
the
phone
number,
if you
are
making
the
domestic
calls.
Country
code
should
be added
before
area
code
if you
are
make
international
calls.
Most
small
cities
share
the
same
area
code
with
each
other.
But
the
major
cities
such
as Shanghai,
Beijing,
and
Guangzhou
enjoy
their
own
area
code,
which
we call
it as
city
code
also.
The
city
code
usage
like
area
code,
when
you
make
domestic
calls,
please
adds
it before
the
phone
number.
The
dialing
ways
should
be:
From
China
to US:
001-area
code-phone
No.
From
US (overseas)
to My
phone:
011-86-your
cell
phone
number
From
China
to International:
00-country
code-area
code-phone
No.
Domestic
calls
In China:
0-area
code-
phone
No./direct
cell
phone
No.
Local
calls:
Direct
phone
No.
We have been
many streets
booth selling
“long distance
IP code”, what
is it about?
Long
distance
IP code
is the
code
should
be used
before
your
dialing
number.
This
code
can
save
more
costs
for
long
distance
calls,
domestic
or international.
Most
third
part
wireless
solution
providers
will
inform
you
with
this
IP code
to save
more
for
your
travel.
What's
more,
some
provider,
like
ChinaMobilecard.com
will
serve
you
with
Long
distance
IP recharge
card,
which
only
save
more
cost
for
you
international
calls.
Can my cell
phone work in
China? What
is unlocked
tri or quardra
band cell phone?
China
Works
with
900/1800MHz
GSM
network.
If your
cell
phone
is unlocked
900/1800
GSM
cell
phone,
it is
certain
to be
used
in China.
A
dual-band
phone
operates
at both
the
900
MHz
and
1800
MHz
spectrum.
Dual-band
works
in Europe,
Africa,
Asia,
Australia,
New
Zealand
and
much
of South
America.
Tri-band
- A
tri-band
phone
operates
on three
frequency
bands,
900
MHz,
1800
MHz
and
1900
MHz,
allowing
you
to use
it in
Europe,
Africa,
Asia,
nearly
all
of North
America,
Australia
and
New
Zealand.
Quad-band
- A
quad-band
phone
allows
you
to roam
almost
anywhere
globally.
It covers
the
850
Mhz,
900
MHz,
1800
MHz
and
1900
MHz
frequency
ranges.
Many
countries
in South
America
only
have
850
MHz
GSM
service
while
both
1900
MHZ
and
850
MHz
GSM
services
are
supported
in the
USA.
99%
of all
countries
use
the
GSM
standard.
WE believe
eventually
GSM
will
be the
only
cell
phone
standard
in the
world.
Customer
Support
FAQ
What is PandaPhone?
What does PandaPhone
do for travelers?
PandaPhone
is third
part
wireless
solution
providers
for
foreign
travelers.
PandaPhone
provides
China
Cell
Phone
Rental,
China
SIM
card,
China
recharge
service,
China
blackberry
service,
China
Event
wireless
solution
service
for
travelers,
businessmen
and
government
officers.
What does PandaPhone
do for group
travel or wholesale
partners?
PandaPhone
design
the
wireless
solution
packages
for
group
travel
according
to their
needs
and
travel
plan
to make
sure
the
economical
and
high
quality
wireless
service.
To wholesale
partners,
PandaPhone
have
different
cooperation,
such
as website,
product
promotion,
event
management,
trade
show
management
to ensure
the
distribution
success.