Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Another thing to be aware of is that all carriers in China use SIM cards, so you need a
phone with a SIM card slot. If you have an American CDMA2000 handset, such as those
sold via Sprint and Verizon, you may not have one. This will be a problem. Unfortunately,
your only solution then may be to buy a new phone or live on international roaming from
the United States. If you have a GSM iPhone, this may also bring frustrations.
Compared to many other countries, in China Internet access is extraordinarily cheap, and
ADSL, at least, has no limit to the downloads you make each month. Like landlines, Ch-
ina Unicom and China Telecom (Beijing Telecom) are the only two providers, with China
Telecom being somewhat cheaper. While some people may complain of the Internet here
being slow in general, this is definitely not always the case and is sometimes the fault of
your individual housing complex rather than the actual network provider. ADSL Internet is
offered at speeds of 512 kb/s, 2 MB/s, 4MB/s, 8 MB/s, 12 MB/s and, in some rare cases,
20 MB/s, although, depending on where you live, you may not have access to every speed.
Most people tend to use the 2 and 4 MB options.
If you're unsure of your length of time in Beijing you can pay by the month, which will
cost around RMB120-170/month for a 2 MB plan. For this, however, you'll need to pay for
or provide your own router, and if your stay is under three months, you will need to pay the
installation fee, which is around RMB300.
You will get much better value if you pay upfront for a whole year of service. Not only
will the provider usually throw in the installation fee and router for free but will also spice
up the package with a few other freebies. A one-year 2 MB/s package with China Unicom,
for example, costs RMB1,680 and includes a free home number and free cell phone number,
plus 300 minutes of free talk time each month, which you can use up on either device.
Setting up the Internet at home is virtually identical to setting up a phone line. Again
your landlord or real estate agent usually helps you. If doing it yourself, take your passport
and lease to your closest retailer (call the phone company ahead to ask for locations), then,
when you have done the required paperwork and paid the fees, technicians will come to
your home and install the router. Unfortunately, very few technicians speak English, nor are
they particularly familiar with Apple products, so getting through this stage of the process
can be a little cumbersome.
