Whether you’re planning a short holiday, a longer work trip or even permanently relocating, being able to roam the internet while abroad is a necessity. From navigation services to translation apps, mobile payments and travel recommendations, countless aspects of international travel require an internet connection. However, as many visitors quickly find, accessing the internet and using apps in China requires some forward planning.
‘The Great Firewall’ is an umbrella term for the series of online regulations found in mainland China. These restrictions have the dual aim of regulating foreign influences and promoting the use of domestic sites and software. As a result, many of the world’s most popular websites and apps including WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and Google Maps are blocked within the country, with many residents and visitors instead using the domestic equivalents.
It’s important to be aware that these restrictions only apply to mainland China - Hong Kong and Macau are mostly unaffected.
Don’t despair, however - while plenty of sites and services are blocked on Chinese Wi-Fi and mobile networks, there are options that allow you to roam the internet and use your phone as normal, no matter where you are in China. There are two main methods that travelers look to when they want to surf the internet unrestricted in China while avoiding high international roaming charges:
- 1
Buying a local Chinese SIM card using it with a VPN (Virtual Private Network)
- 2
Downloading an eSIM
Buying a SIM card in China
For many visitors, the first port of call when arriving in a new country is purchasing a local SIM card to get online without paying sky-high international roaming charges. As you may have guessed, however, this can be less than ideal option in mainland China for a number of reasons.
While local SIM cards can still be found in shops and kiosks at airports around the country, their use is simply not as viable as other options. Just like a foreign SIM, any physical SIM card purchased in mainland China will still be unable to browse the internet unhindered. The user will need to download, create accounts for and find contacts on China’s own alternative apps such as WeChat or Weibo – a time-consuming and avoidable hurdle in the already-convoluted world of international travel.
Even if you do still decide on a local SIM card, the purchasing process itself is far from smooth. SIM cards at airports are usually sold at inflated tourist prices – purchasing a SIM at a local rate requires you to provide valid ID (usually a passport) and register with a SIM card provider in the nearest town - a challenge in itself when you have no access to your preferred navigation or translation apps, and no data to download new ones with.
Once you have your local SIM card, you will be able to avoid international roaming charges and pay less for data use. However, internet access will still be restricted. To bypass these limitations of a physical SIM card, you will next have to pay for and download a VPN.
Using a VPN in China
For seasoned travelers, a common method of avoiding China’s internet restrictions is the use of a VPN, or Virtual Private Network. In essence this is a type of software which obscures the IP address and location of your device, allowing you to browse as you would in your home country. While popular, finding the best VPN for China can take some research. Not all of them will work successfully there, and many can be expensive and time-consuming to set up for the first time – not to mention installing a VPN for the first time if you’re already in China can be a herculean task.
Crucially, only certain VPNs are permitted. The Chinese government maintains a continually updated list of approved VPNs, and it’s the traveler’s responsibility to comply with this. They exist in a legal gray area within the country – in recent years, steps have been taken to limit their availability, casting a shadow of uncertainty on the future of VPN usage.
Travelling in China with an eSIM
Over the last few years, eSIMs have become an increasingly popular choice for frequent travelers, tourists and workers looking to use roaming data at local rates. Instead of a physical plastic SIM card, eSIMs are a software-based SIM profile that is downloaded in seconds and stored in a microchip on your phone. Their great advantage is that they allow users to instantly download, store, and switch between multiple different SIMs on one device. This way, there is no need to physically switch out SIM cards while travelling to a new country, or changing between work and personal phones.
Although relatively recent, eSIMs are already widespread: Apple and Samsung, among others, have even released eSIM-only handsets that have entirely done away with physical SIM cards. They’re widely seen as the next evolutionary step in the 30-year history of SIM technology. Their use in China is doubly advantageous, as they not only allow visitors to roam for less, but they also bypass Chinese internet restrictions.
Are eSIMs legal in China?
Simply put, yes. It is not illegal to use an eSIM or own an eSIM-compatible device in China. However, due to a range of internal security and economic measures, mainland Chinese-made mobile devices sold in China do not support eSIMs. So if you buy a handset once you’ve arrived, don’t count on being able to use an eSIM with it. However, most other modern smartphones sold in the rest of the world do support the technology – find out if your device does here.
As awareness around eSIMs continues to grow, many people, especially first-time visitors, are favoring the use of them over VPNs due to their increased flexibility and ease of installation. Don’t forget – eSIMs, while perfectly legal, currently aren’t produced or sold in China – the easiest way to use one while travelling is to download one and purchase your desired data plan(s) before you go. You can download a BetterRoaming eSIM for free here.
An eSIM from BetterRoaming can be installed in just minutes at any point prior to your journey. Once downloaded, simply choose the right plan for you from our 160+ international data packages. Then, the second you touch down on Chinese soil, you can start surfing the internet as normal, with no VPN needed.
Simply put, an eSIM is a convenient, cost-effective and legal solution that allows you to get online in China just like you would at home and continue to enjoy unrestricted, low-cost internet access throughout your stay.
How to use an eSIM for China
A BetterRoaming eSIM takes just minutes to install and can be downloaded any eSIM-enabled iOS or Android device. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or frequent traveler, we offer a range of eSIM plans specifically for mainland China, as well as individual options for both Hong Kong and Macau.
Venturing further afield? We offer tailored plans for over 160 other countries, including packages for the wider Asia-Pacific region and even global plans for the seriously adventurous.
Choose your destination now to discover the perfect data plan for your trip, or check out a step-by-step guide to installing an eSIM on your device.
