Plans for long term international (non-US) Roaming

[Lewis]

Hi all the wisdoms here.

        I am travelling to China later this year and I wonder what is the option for international roaming / text (for both sending and receiving ). I do not need any talk minutes.

Please kindly advise

Best

Lewis

[kav2001c]

To anyone who was interested use promo code TRY

You can get the SIM now for like $4 all in (shipping + service)

The catch is renewal date is early (only day free service) but it lets you test it out if you want to try

---

@kav2001c wrote:

@Lewis you just want a North American number and are only planning to txt / use chat apps in China?

By far best option is:

https://www.chatsim.com/

---

[alex_s]

For China in particular, you should order a SIM card in advance and get it delivered because it's difficult for foreigners to buy SIM cards from the carriers' stores (and the SIM cards sold at booths on the street won't necessarily work).

China Unicom is the carrier most likely to support phones purhcased in Canada:

https://www.mychinaunicom.com/

But of course, you should confirm that they support your model. This website is in English and has info about ordering SIM cards for delivery in China or Canada.

[Jonavin]

None of the roaming options from any Canadian carrriers are going to be any good for overseas roaming. I'd recommend buying a local SIM. For about $20 CAD, you should be able to get thousands of minutes, and several GB of data and texting.

[mimmo]

I would get a fongo.con number it's free before leaving Canada forward your calling fongo. As for SMS your sim needs to be in Canada and active to be able to receive and forward SMS. I put my sim in an old phone and left it plugged in.

And ditto for getting a local sim.

[Acekiller]

you can look into knowroaming, freedompop

[kav2001c]

@Lewis you just want a North American number and are only planning to txt / use chat apps in China?

By far best option is:

https://www.chatsim.com/

[Samianauman]

Agreed with willam best option shop locally also since you only need texting download third party app and you can also use those over Wi-Fi as well

[will13am]

Always shop locally @Lewis.  You will find better prices and more options.

[xCameron94x]

I would follow @CaNuCk07 suggestion. Even with US add ons, I find Canadian roaming rates more expensive.

If you are travelling anywhere for an extended period of time, buy a local SIM card as rates will be much better there than compared to roaming rates. Just make sure that your phone will work on the network you are trying to get a sim card for. This is why we are seeing more dual sim phones these days, for travellers.

You can download SMS forwarding apps to forward SMS from your current number, to the number you will have

[CaNuCk07 · Accepted solution]

@Lewis  Unfortuantely your best option and only option really will be to get a local sim card and local plan in china.