How to use mobile phone brought from home in Changsha?

There are two ways to use your mobile in China

(1) Visitors who wish to directly use phone numbers assigned by their domestic telecommunication operators should make sure that "international roaming service" has been turned on by their local provider before their entry to China.

Your domestic mobile telecommunication operator should provide an agreement on international roaming services with the local operator that you wish to use in China (which might be China Mobile). Your international roaming service charges will be collected according to the applicable charging rates as specified by your domestic mobile telecommunication operator. If your domestic operator and the local operator in Changsha haven't signed a roaming agreement, the international roaming service will be unavailable through your domestic phone number.

(2) Visitors entering China can buy SIM phone cards and pre-paid phone cards in Changsha to enjoy all the services provided by local mobile phone operators.

If you wish to use your own phone from home, make sure to bring a compatible GSM/GPRS 900/1800 dual-frequency mobile phone (the phone must be unlocked). You may purchase the pre-paid "Easy-Own" SIM phone cards and recharge cards provided by China Mobile to enjoy convenient mobile telecommunication services from China Mobile.

Visitors entering China can also buy (or rent) mobile phone terminals and buy SIM phone cards and pre-paid phone cards in China, they can then enjoy all the services provided by local mobile operators.

Currently, the "Easy-Own" pre-paid SIM phone cards sold at the China Mobile Service locations within Changsha have a unit price of 60RMB/card, including a credit of 50RMB. The pre-paid phone cards of China Mobile are available in a variety of price values. Once your pre-paid SIM card has run out of credit, you can conveniently recharge credit with a pre-paid recharge card.

Changsha has two main mobile phone service operators, China Mobile, and China Unicom. For more details from China Mobile, please call China Mobile's Chansgah customer service hotline at +86 731 10086, or visit China Mobile's website.

If you cannot use your mobile phone charger you can probably buy one (likely less than 50 RMB) at a local mobile phone store.