moondog

When this news broke, my first thought was to ask you to help me pull this off, but then I remembered that I have a legal address in HK, and can presumably get our secretary there to register them for me. I'm not especially worried about this yet because 2/28 appears to be a deadline for proposals only, but I do have quite stockpile of (yet to be enabled) SIMs, and it would be a shame to lose them.

exp

How do they handle prepaid SIM cards for visitors in China, since that seems to be the way HK is going to end up, sooner than later?


What about prepaid SIM with 5G data? Are any of the carriers offering it?

(I would say there's reason to be concerned that they're using 5G networks with Huawei equipment, which is implicated in spying for the Chinese govt. but then again, probably 4G networks already have spy gear).

Or I wonder if they would be widespread eSIM support for prepaid for tourists, since that doesn't even require a trip to a physical store where they'd presumably register you?

Need

The article linked said:
Yau said the authorities had no intention to require users to register facial scans, as on the mainland, before buying new SIM cards.

So I guess you need to register "facial scan" in mainland China.

percysmith

Mainland China: I think there is exclusion for roaming, otherwise @moondog’s stack of SIMs won’t work already.

moondog

While I realize that this thread pertains to HK SIMs, in light of the fact that many people use HK SIMs on the Mainland, I want to opine on this angle:

1. My (China Mobile) HK SIMs definitely provide better data access for non-PRC sites IME; friends that use Unicom HK report the same
-if I have to register them, I'll figure out a way
2. Getting local SIMs in mainland cities is definitely more cumbersome than the old days in which we could just buy SIMs on the street and be up and running, but the good news is that registration is not difficult, and data rates are extremely cheap here (e.g. cheap enough to supplement with a V** subscription and still come out ahead)
-I'm currently on one of Unicom's cheapest prepaid plans (~Y30/month) and simply buy data when I need it (7g costs me ~Y20...some of my friends ~Y30)
-even when I fall behind on the monthly payments, Unicom doesn't really seem to care...I simply figure how deep in the red I am and add money via WeChat or Alipay
3. Until recently, we could still buy data only SIMs here in order to bypass the registration requirement, but I don't think this is the case any more, so I don't see much advantage to these (e.g. there are still some cases in which true phone calls are useful + you need a phone number to register for many WiFi networks, which are often faster than 4g/5g)

jamar

Latest update on the SIM registration situation- the legislation currently in the pipeline stipulates a gradual phase-in, starting from 1 September this year and becoming mandatory next March.

tentseller

IMHO 10 pre-paid card from each service provider is quite liberal.

garykung

IIRC - there is no need for concern. The law calls for registration before the usage, not purchase.

But some merchants are going to be affected, like the 7-11 at HKG, as most people will use the SIM card on the spot.

tentseller

So first use of that SIM you will be required to input personal information which will be checked and verified. I can see an implementation similar to the Online bank verification of moving your ID and taking your photo from different directions.

garykung

Don't know how it will be implemented. But in Singapore - the convenience story has a scanner to do that.

exp

So you can't pick up a SIM at HKG and have it be instantly active?

CSL had a store there, the last time I went, and I had it working before boarding the Airport Express.

jamar

Depends on how stringent the implementation is. In other countries in the region it's usually easy enough that they can sort you out right at the airport, although you'll have to spend extra time there. However, this combined with the fact that other providers in the region are starting to offer decent Asia roaming deals means that some visitors will probably forgo a local SIM for a SIM from their home country, another country in the region, or one of those international eSIMs. For example, in my case, I have a SIM from HK Mobile (a CSL sub-brand, I think), and depending on how difficult they make registration, I may end up just letting it go and relying on my Taiwan Mobile SIM instead (NT$388 for true unlimited data for 8 days isn't a bad deal).

exp

Well Americans are typically going to fly direct to HKG and arrive after 10 PM.

Would be nice if you could still pick up a SIM and be able to use it first thing next monring

travelinmanS

I'm sure Americans will be able to sort it out during the 21 day quarantine time which they government seems to be planning on having for years to come.

I'd also add that the UA and AA flights arrived well before 10pm, more like late afternoon/early evening and smart Americans will be taking Cathay which arrive early morning

Anyhow, it's gonna be an added hassle, that's for sure.

jamar

The way I see it, this is going to boost sales of those international eSIMs and roaming SIMs. It makes it an easier sell to be able to buy your plan on your phone or a SIM packet from Amazon/eBay/etc and have it ready on landing even if it's more expensive than a local SIM (for example, my HK Mobile SIM charges HK$68 for 9 GB/week of local data, or someone could buy an AIS eSIM online with 6 GB/8 days for US$19- triple the price, but no ID registration required and $19 isn't atrociously expensive to US visitors).