Prepaid cards in red China

[Gryphone]

Ok... I'm in China now, I've bought myself a China Mobile SIM and am trying to understand the tariff.


Here's some data about the networks:

China Mobile
Frequency: GSM 900/1800
Net Code: 460-00
Logo: China Mobile, CMCC
Prefixes: 134 to 139

China Unicom
Frequency: GSM 900/1800
Net Code: 460-01
Logo: China Unicom, CHN-CUGSM
Prefixes: 130, 131 and 133

Interestingly I've also picked up a third network using the code 460-36, however I have no idea what it is nor can I log on to it with any of my SIMs.


Now about the China Mobile prepaid offer:

- Buying a SIM card is easy, you don't need any ID or whatever.
- At the airport it costed me 130 RMB, including 50 RMB of credit.
- SIM cards are linked to a specific city (so be sure to get one for the city you'll mainly be staying at).
- however you don't get a local number, all mobile number's start with (+86)13.
- I haven't figured out whether there are different plans, these are the charges on my plan anyway.
- Local calls (within your city) 0,13 RMB/min.
- Long distance calls 0,30 RMB/min.
- For international calls there are several prefixes, depending on which of them you use and where you're calling the charges are different. The seller at the airport helped me active a special option and said that with it I could make calls to i.e. Western Europe for 1,2 RMB/min when using the 12593 prefix.
- Receiving calls within your city is free of charge (no matter from where), elsewhere in China it'll cost you something
- Texts (worldwide) cost 1 RMB


About United Mobile: it doesn't work here. I logs onto the China Unicom network, however with the exclamation mark that indicates limited connection on Siemens mobiles. I can neither make nor receive any calls.

[Effendi]

Thanks for the information about China Mobile prepaid offer. If you discover how much is for the incoming calls outside the selected zone it would be perfect.

[Gryphone]

BTW, isn't there any way to edit your previous posts anymore? All right, I'll just start a new one.

Anyway, my Chinese isn't that good (and particually I'm not used to the unconventional short form of characters here), but, as far as I can tell:

- the name of the prepaid offer is "神州行暢聽卡", pronounced Shenzhouxing Changtingka, abbrevated SH.
- incoming calls cost outside your home region are at 0,60 RMB/min. as well.
- initial credit validity is 120 days, when recharging you get: 50 RMB -> 90 days, 100 RMB -> 180 days, 300 RMB -> 360 days and 500 RMB -> 360 days, up to a maximum of 720 days.
- you can use WAP, possibly GPRS too, though I haven't found out how or how much it costs
- the credit server (checking balance, recharging &c.) is located at 10086, when entering the menu for the first time you are asked whether you want it in Chinese or English. However the English pronounciation is quite bad. Other that that, it'll cost you some money to access it too.
- when actived the PIN control is offline, you standard PIN is 1234.
- you can also inquire about your card online, at www.sh.chinamobile.com, you'll need your telephone number and your 6-digit online PIN to login. However the entire website is Chinese.
- when dialing within your home city you can dial directly without the city prefix, when calling a mobile you start with 13...

One word about China Unicom: their tariffs seem mostly quite similar to China Mobile's, the package costs 130 RMB as well and includes 62 RMB of credit.