I have a sim card from Korea and if i use the data Roaming service from there, I have to pay at least HKD 75 per day to use unlimitedly for one day.
However if you use a data sim card from Hong Kong, you can save a lot and it works much better!! Isn't that great?
There are many carriers which provides Pre-paid services in Hong Kong. I searched before I leave Korea and found out that "one2free" provides best options with various service plan. You can simply choose which service plane you are going to choose considering how long you will be staying in Hong Kong.
And the most easy part is that you can buy the sim card as soon as you arrive in Hong Kong international airport.
Your arrival will be on the 5th floor of the airport. You take an elevator (with heavy luggages) or an escalator up to 7th floor which is the floor for Departure. Find the row F and a shop called "1010" will be at the end of the row F.
Ask for a data SIM card and they will show you various options.
If you are travelling for a short period, your options would be HKD 88 or HKD 180. (This amount might vary according to where you buy it, but it simply means your balance. You can always charge more if you bought the small amount, so I recommend you to buy the cheap one if you are staying for a week or less 'cause data usage for a week will be only HKD 78)
One2free Mobile Broadband Prepaid SIM cards provides service plans as below.
- HKD 0.3 per minute local calls
- HKD 0.8 per minute for distance calls
- HKD 0.8 for each text message sent (internationa : HKD 3)
- Data Usage : HKD 8/hour, HKD 28/day, HKD 78/week
So you buy a sim card that suits you and you can call, text and use data as long as you have balance in the SIM card. As for data usage, it's 3G HSDPA which speeds up to 7.2 Mpbs so it's not bad at all.
If you want to check the balance on your phone, simply dial *109# and they will send you the remaining balance through text message.
But in case of longer stay, which was my case, I bought HKD 100 and charged another HKD 100 so that my total balance would be HKD 200. The reason why I did this was because they also have monthly data plan as well.
1010 shop staff will tell you to buy a unlimited monthly data usage SIM which is much expensive than this.(HKD 460) But what they don't tell you is that one2free also has 30-day-pass with 3GB or 5GB. 3GB is HKD 148/30days and 5GB is HKD 258/30 days. If you use 3GB/5GB before one month, you will still be possible to use the internet but only with lower priority, meaning that your internet speed will drop very low.
As for my case, I chose 3GB with HKD 148 which means that I still have HKD 52 I can make local calls or send texts with. I've actually made several calls while looking for an apartment to live in, and I tell you, I still have 38.2 balances.
One good thing about using one2free data sim card instead of the one of where you came from, is that you get a local phone number which is easy for local people to contact you with.
Hope you can all enjoy staying in Hong Kong with better data service :)
Love, Victoria
PS. I was writing this post in a cafe, and a guy in front of me told his friend "first things first" and it freaked me out a little. :)
There are many carriers which provides Pre-paid services in Hong Kong. I searched before I leave Korea and found out that "one2free" provides best options with various service plan. You can simply choose which service plane you are going to choose considering how long you will be staying in Hong Kong.
And the most easy part is that you can buy the sim card as soon as you arrive in Hong Kong international airport.
Your arrival will be on the 5th floor of the airport. You take an elevator (with heavy luggages) or an escalator up to 7th floor which is the floor for Departure. Find the row F and a shop called "1010" will be at the end of the row F.
Ask for a data SIM card and they will show you various options.
If you are travelling for a short period, your options would be HKD 88 or HKD 180. (This amount might vary according to where you buy it, but it simply means your balance. You can always charge more if you bought the small amount, so I recommend you to buy the cheap one if you are staying for a week or less 'cause data usage for a week will be only HKD 78)
one2free mobile broadband prepaid SIM card
One2free Mobile Broadband Prepaid SIM cards provides service plans as below.
- HKD 0.3 per minute local calls
- HKD 0.8 per minute for distance calls
- HKD 0.8 for each text message sent (internationa : HKD 3)
- Data Usage : HKD 8/hour, HKD 28/day, HKD 78/week
So you buy a sim card that suits you and you can call, text and use data as long as you have balance in the SIM card. As for data usage, it's 3G HSDPA which speeds up to 7.2 Mpbs so it's not bad at all.
If you want to check the balance on your phone, simply dial *109# and they will send you the remaining balance through text message.
But in case of longer stay, which was my case, I bought HKD 100 and charged another HKD 100 so that my total balance would be HKD 200. The reason why I did this was because they also have monthly data plan as well.
1010 shop staff will tell you to buy a unlimited monthly data usage SIM which is much expensive than this.(HKD 460) But what they don't tell you is that one2free also has 30-day-pass with 3GB or 5GB. 3GB is HKD 148/30days and 5GB is HKD 258/30 days. If you use 3GB/5GB before one month, you will still be possible to use the internet but only with lower priority, meaning that your internet speed will drop very low.
As for my case, I chose 3GB with HKD 148 which means that I still have HKD 52 I can make local calls or send texts with. I've actually made several calls while looking for an apartment to live in, and I tell you, I still have 38.2 balances.
One good thing about using one2free data sim card instead of the one of where you came from, is that you get a local phone number which is easy for local people to contact you with.
Hope you can all enjoy staying in Hong Kong with better data service :)
Love, Victoria
PS. I was writing this post in a cafe, and a guy in front of me told his friend "first things first" and it freaked me out a little. :)
Haha, scary coincidence... I usually take those things as some 'signnnsss from the universeee'. Haha, but that's me. Anyway, yes yes yes, mobile phone is one of the first thing first! :D That's what I'd do first too! :) It's very very scary when we are not contactable or able to contact people in anyway. :S Stay safe and take care, dear!
ReplyDeletep.s.: This post is actually very informative too, haha, awesome for any HK travellers... :))
xo,
Emm
doodleandstories
I meant 'any way', errrhhh... haha.
DeleteSinnnnnsss from the usiverseee!!! I think so, too!! I hope the universe is telling me something good :)
DeleteNEON SCANDAL