Roaming China: T-Mobile, AT&T, O2, Three, Vodafone

Even though people think that China might not be such a pretty place to visit, it actually is, and it has lots of amazing places to visit. But, the big question is, roaming China is something that people can do? Can people stay connected to the internet while they are traveling? 

That’s something that we will clear up today, as that question is pretty common and people would like to know more about it. We’ll see how you can get the roaming China service, and we’ll clear up some doubts that you have so you can visit Beijing or Pekin.

Price comparison between the different USA mobile operators

Price comparison between the different UK mobile operators

Roaming China alternatives: Two options that can save your life and money 

Are you thinking that, maybe, roaming is not the service that you need? That’s ok, some people would rather have other options to compare them and make the final decision on which one to choose. The roaming China might be good, but the SIMs and eSIMs can be two better alternatives. 

In case you want to know more about how these two can help you out to have internet while traveling, then you came to the right place. Both international SIM and eSIM cards give you an internet connection, here’s how you do it.

eSIM for China

When you want to talk about a roaming alternative that is good and accessible for people, the eSIM is what you are looking for. This is a relatively new technology developed by new-gen mobiles and smartwatches that people can easily buy through different websites or with their own mobile operator.

One of the most reliable companies in which people can buy an eSIM is Holafly, a company dedicated to helping travelers to stay connected with what they offer. We truly recommended them, but overall, eSIMs for China have some amazing benefits that are worth knowing, let’s see.

1. eSIM for China includes VPN free.
2. In China, people using an eSIM have access to a wider coverage range than with a normal SIM card.
3. eSIM usually gives people 4G limited data, but once it’s over, people will still get 2G unlimited data.
4. If you choose Holafly as your eSIM card provider, you get access to 24/7 customer support.
5. People can share their mobile data with 5 different devices with one eSIM.
6. eSIM cards are cheaper than other similar solutions.

SIM Card for China

SIM cards are famous all over the world, no one can deny that. People are used to having a SIM card on their phones, and now they can use one to travel through the world, which is pretty amazing.

You will see that you have the opportunity to buy a SIM card for China to stay connected no matter where you go to. Whether you choose a local or international provider, it is a good idea to replace the roaming service. For us, Holafly is the best option for travelers due to its price and benefits.

1. SIM Cards for China include VPN free.
2. SIM cards tend to be cheaper than other similar services.
3. People will get access to phone calls and messages with the SIM card.
4. With a SIM card, people can get in touch with their mobile operator to request help if needed.

Pocket WiFi for China

An alternative that has helped international travelers for quite some time now, and that even became more popular than roaming, is the Pocket WiFi, a device that has proven to give people all that they might need to get internet in a different country.

Most of these services can be acquired by people from all over the world, and they can request companies to send them directly to their houses if needed. The only issue with it is the price, but more than the price is the penalty fee they charge in case someone loses a device.

Yet, it doesn’t mean that is a bad choice for people. If you are careful and want to enjoy your trip with unlimited internet, this is a perfect solution for you, and even for your pocket on the right hands.

Free WiFi in China

China is a country in which you can get free WiFi in different cities, which is pretty cool due to people getting the chance to rely on it for a while. In case that you don’t have enough time to find WiFi, you can use apps that can help you with it.

These apps will make things easier for people, and they can be downloaded for free through the different app stores available on mobiles. Avast Wi-Fi Finder, WiFi Map, and WinMan are the apps that we are talking about, so now you know which one you need to download in order to find free WiFi while traveling in China.

Details of Roaming China services offered by the most popular mobile operators in the U.S

In case you own a plan from one of the mobile operators from the U.S that we mentioned before, then you can access the roaming China service. But, what do these services offer? People will mostly want to have an internet connection, but is there more than you can get? Let’s see.

T-Mobile Roaming China service

In case you are a client of T-Mobile, you will have access to three different plans. Essentials, Magenta, and Magenta Plus are the plans that they offer to its customer, each one with different benefits for them, being the Magneta Plus Plan is the best option for people.

The three plans basically offer the same, but obviously, Magenta and Magenta Plus offer better benefits, with 5GB and 40GB of mobile data respectively, while the Essentials only offer 3G unlimited speed. Also, the three plans offer phone calls and text messages too.

Verizon Roaming China service

Verizon is another option for people who want to get the roaming service for China. The good thing about them is that they only offer two plans, the International Travel Pass, with unlimited messages and phone calls for 10$ per day. And, the data you will receive is the same amount of data your normal Verizon plan has.

The second plan is more complete, the International Monthly Plan, which gives users 5GB of mobile data, unlimited messages, and 250 minutes for phone calls, all for 100$. Also, people can pay a bit more to get more phone calls, messages, and mobile data, if they need it.

AT&T Roaming China Service

Now, it’s time to talk about what AT&T offers to clients who need the roaming China service. The plans that they offer are pretty similar to what we can find on Verizon, but the main difference is that people can pay for a phone line that only works for international phone calls for 15$. 

But, there’s also a better option. People can get text messages, phone calls, and mobile data with the International Pass, and the price is pretty good for what it offers. People will only have to pay 10$ per day while roaming China with AT&T.

Details of Roaming China services offered by the most popular mobile operators in the UK

So far, we have talked about the U.S mobile operators that you can use to get access to the roaming service. But, what if I don’t live in the U.S? In case that you are in the UK, there are other options as well, so there’s no need to worry about it.

O2 Roaming China service

If you are a client from O2, let us tell you that they have a pretty good roaming service. The first thing that we have to mention is that the price for this service is pretty low, it only costs 4.99£ per day for people to enjoy it. It will give users access to their local data allowance, as well as unlimited text messages and phone calls.

Three Roaming China service

So far, Three is one of the most popular mobile operators in the UK. Nowadays, the company is thinking about changing some things in order to give their clients a better service, but these changes will take place during the following year. For now, people only have to pay 5£ per day to get access to the roaming China service that they offer.

Vodafone Roaming China service

People probably have heard about Vodafone because of how big and popular they are. Just like Three, the company is going through some major changes, yet, this doesn’t mean that they can offer people access to roaming services, because they do. But, roaming is only available for those with an Xtra Airtime Plan, which is the premium plan from the company.

The good news is that people who have only have to pay 6£ per roaming day!

How to activate roaming with the different mobile operators in the U.S

Chances are that you find pretty interesting the fact that people can rely on different mobile operators when they want to travel the world. But, we haven’t talked about one of the most important things about roaming: how is the activation of that service? 

T-Mobile roaming activation

Activating the roaming on a mobile phone or device with their SIM card is quite easy. People only have to dial the following number, for saying it so. Call to #RON# when you want to activate the roaming, and then, #ROF# to turn it off.

Verizon roaming activation

To activate your roaming with Verizon, the process is very easy to follow, with only three steps, you can activate or deactivate whenever you want to. This is what you need to do:

• Go to “Settings” on your device.
• Find the “Mobile Data” option.
• Now, press “Roaming” in order to activate it or deactivate it.

Remember to turn off the roaming once you are done or it will keep consuming data of your phone.

AT&T roaming activation

AT&T likes to keep things simple, just like Verizon does. People have to follow these steps in order to activate the roaming service.

• Go to “Settings” on your device.
• Press the “Mobile Data” option.
• Now, press “Roaming2 to activate or deactivate when needed.

Remember to always keep an eye on the roaming service, because as long as it is not deactivated, it will keep spending mobile data.

How to activate roaming with the different mobile operators in the UK

We are done with how we need to activate roaming when it comes to U.S mobile operators, but now, we have to talk about UK operators. Do they work the same way, or is everything different?

O2 roaming activation

To activate the roaming China service with O2 you only need to send a text message. Grab your phone and send the message O2TRAVEL to 23336, and that’s it, the roaming will be activated on the device you just sent the message with!

Three roaming activation

Three takes us back to the processes we saw on the different U.S companies, but, it is easy to follow, which is something good.

• Find the “Settings” menu on your device.
• Now, press on “Mobile Data”.
• Click on the “Roaming” option and that’s it.

Remember to always deactivate the roaming once you are done with it to not spend more money than you should.

Vodafone roaming activation

Now, Vodafone has completely changed how things are done. People must have an account on the Vodafone website in order to access the roaming service, or they can call 199 and ask customer support to activate the roaming service for you, both are pretty simple to follow options, so you can choose the one you like the most.

Julio Osuna

ES: Mi nombre es Julio Osuna, Venezolano amante de los videojuegos, la montaña y principiante en el mundo de la fotografía. He estado trabajando como escritor desde 2019, escribiendo contenido de viajes, tecnología, criptomonedas, entre muchas otras cosas. Hoy en día, mi experiencia se centra principalmente en viajes, especialmente en consejos para viajar conectado con las mejores opciones. ¡Que mi contenido te ayude a conseguir tu lugar ideal para viajar! | EN: My name is Julio Osuna, Venezuelan lover of video games, the mountains and beginner in the world of photography. I have been working as a writer since 2019, writing content on travel, technology, cryptocurrencies, among many other things. Nowadays, my experience focuses mainly on travel, especially tips for traveling connected with the best options. May my content help you find your ideal place to travel!