Iphone with Other Foreign SIM Cards


Step 1: Check if your phone can work with other countries sim cards

When you use your iphone in China or other countries, first before your trip, please check if it is unlocked by asking your seller. If not, your phone will not work with other sim cards, and you have to unlock it. Unlocking means using a SIM card for a mobile network other than the one the phone is locked to.

The iphone won’t take any other carrier’s SIM except yours if it is still locked. So you can insert one of your friends SIM from another carrier to test it. If you can make calls with a different carrier’s SIM card then your cell phone is unlocked.


Step 2: Buy a foreign sim card (microsim if your phone is iphone 4)

Bring your phone overseas. Take China for example. In China, there are only three mobile service carriers, China Mobile, China Unicom & China Telecom. All have 3G service.

China Mobile adopts home-grown TD-SCDMA 3g mobile technology which is adopted only in China for the moment, China Telecom adopts CDMA EVDO Rev. A 3G mobile technology which is adopted by some US carriers(Sprint, Verizon) and some South Korea carriers, and China Unicom adopts WCDMA 3G technology which is worldwidely adopted.

So the best sim card in China for mobile phone is China Unicom 3G prepaid sim card since it provides high data connection speed. China Mobile's prepaid GSM (2g) sim card also works on iphone but the data connection speed is slow since its 3G service not compatible with iphone but only GPRS/EGDE works. If you don't need data, it is also a good choice.

Then where to buy a prepaid sim card (microsim)?

China Unicom's 3G sim card is sold by some kiosks (not all, and no microsim provided, so you need to take a microsim cutter by yourself), nationwide China Unicom's stores (register with your password, maybe spend a long time to quene, fill in its form and communicate with its staff, some cannot speake English in small & middle cities), and some online sellers. We sell China Unicom 3G sim card online and cut it to micro size. Please put a note: micro size needed on message section of our order form. We answer your inquiries and assist you to choose a economic montly plan, top up account, account inquiry,etc.. The original plan is 300MB, 240 miniutes domestic calls and free incoming calls in China (most popular).

China Mobile's prepaid sim card (must GPRS enabled SIM card) is sold by almost all natinwide kiosks (no microsim provided, so you need to take a microsim cutter by yourself), China Mobile's stores (register with your password, maybe spend a long time to quene, fill in its form and communicate with its staff, the most cannot speake English in small & middle cities). We sell China Mobile sim card online and cut it to micro size if you needed. Please put a note: micro size needed on message section of our order form. We answer your inquiries and assist you to choose a economic montly plan, top up account, account inquiry,etc.. The oringal credit is 50rmb (most popular).


Step 3: Internet Setting

Settings > General > Network > Cellular Data Network>APN

China Unicom 3G sim card 
APN:3gnet
Username:
Password:

China Mobile sim card (GPRS Enabled)
APN:cmnet
Username:
Password:

After finish above steps, you can enjoy local mobile services in China on your iphone and begin your wonderful trips.






Do you have experience using iphone in overseas ? Please share it!

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