Does anybody know what SIM cards are the easiest to obtain in China?
I have to spend a while there for work in a couple months, and I'm going to buy a used unlocked GSM iPhone before I go. I'm planning on buying a prepaid SIM card and using one of their networks (probably China Unicom) while I'm there so I don't have to pay outrageous international rates. But I'm not sure what kind of iPhone to buy, 4s/5s/6s etc. The last thing I want is to get there, discover that all the stores are selling nano SIM cards and my iPhone takes a micro or whatever, and have to cut it down with a razor blade or jury-rig it with cardboard or any of that nonsense. Does anybody know whether most of the prepaid SIM cards you can buy from Chinese vendors are micro or nano etc these days?
I am also asking this on /g/, but I figured the good folks here might have more experience with stuff like this. Thanks!
>>1128945
they're all the same. english is nonexistent, so bring a phone with some sort of translation ability. they all have the tools to cut it for you if it's not ther ight size.
I freaked out when I went too. but it's really not that bad. they kind of already know what you want.
if you're really afraid, they'll ALWAYS have this available at the airport in english if it's before closing hours (maybe around 10) for a slight mark up.
the first time I landed was a budget flight which was delayed, so I landed AFTER public transport had shut down and had no idea where to go. thankfully, the country is not expensive, so you can always just pay a taxi. like all basics, it's quite basic, and you feel silly for not knowing it before, but you could get quite lost, in fact.
if your flight lands at a late hour, just be sure to have directions to the place you stay your first night. the hotel/hostel staff should speak enough english to point you to a nearby store.
>>1128955
Bless you, anonymous person, for posting such a quick & reassuring reply. I'll probably get a 5s, since my understanding is that the iPhone 4 etc is starting to not play nicely with the new versions of iOS and that's a headache I don't want to deal with, especially if it happens abroad.
I'm crash-coursing myself in Mandarin, but I very much doubt I'll be able to handle a conversation about anything remotely technological by the time I have to go over there, so I'm really glad to know there'll be places to get this done where they'll speak English.
>>1128960
you're welcome. I was freaking out about it too when I went, so I sympathize.
only place with english is liable to be the airport, even in beijing. the questions won't be much, they'll just ask for your passport, if you want internet, how much money you want to put on the prepaid. but if your tones are off they'll understand nothing ,lol.
good luck. china is super safe and for their reputation as super rude, I've actually found that they're mostly polite but aloof. it's really only intimidating because of heiroglyphics and tones.
>>1128945
You got bad info in this thread.
You should buy an android in China for the same price as an used iphone.
A Chinese iphone will let you input english or chinese with no problem
sim adapters are a thing, chinese sims usually come with every kind of adapter in the packet, you just punch out what you need. You can plug them into anything from a credit card sized slot down to nano slot.
Should have asked in China general: >>1125424
>>1128988
I'm pretty sure all smartphones have a chinese language option. you don't need a chinese one
>>1128945
Getting a SIM card in China is a fucking pain in the ass.
I thought I would just get a simple prepaid SIM card when I went there, but you're required to provide a resident card when buying one. I was with someone who had a SIM card already and was a Chinese citizen, so I had to register the card in his name. I got a very official-looking contract with a stamp and everything.
>>1128993
>I'm pretty sure all smartphones have a chinese language option
I'm pretty sure you're wrong.
Most installed keyboard apps on phones don't have Chinese options.
>>1128995
I might be wrong. I only have one smart phone and it came preinstalled with at least a couple dozen languages. it could be unique, though.
>>1128994
I just needed to present my passport. I've done it countless times. china can be quite arcane sometimes, so it's possible that due to your circumstances there was some sort of difference.
http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/China
>>1128945
Borrowing this thread, can somebody recommend a prepaid data thingy to Germany, Poland and the Baltics?
I just need internet to my phone.
>>1129332
Can't speak for Germany or Poland, but you need a SIM card plus a data package/pass for each country in the Baltics. Pop into a supermarket like Maxima, Iki, RIMI, etc. and buy them. I don't think it really matters which brand. The speed was pretty good. Not too expensive either.
You probably will need some scissors to cut the SIM cards to fit your phone.
Maybe a Balticfag can chime in with more info?
