Getting a SIM Card for My Cell Phone in China

Day 5, Saturday – Getting a SIM Card for Our Cell Phone in China

The shopping plaza was a very busy place on Saturday!

Since we are going to be in Guangzhou for two weeks, we would need a cell phone to communicate with the people we were visiting.

We asked around and were told that we could get a SIM card for our cell phone at the Rock Plaza close by.

A company put on a big promotional event on travel in the mall

It was a Saturday and the shopping mall was busy! There were shoppers, families with kids everywhere.

In the middle of the mall, there was a big stage set up with people talking and followed by a clown performing and entertaining kids.  This was a show put on by a travel company to attract potential customers.

Many more Chinese are travelling these days

There were big posters everywhere advertising different travel destinations within and outside of China.

This travel promotion attracted a lot of people

There were lots of tables set up with staff personnel trying to assist and answer people’s questions.

Many stores put on play stations for children to try their toys

This particular station was very popular and busy as there were large crowds showing interest and hovering around.

Trying to promote their business, many companies in Guangzhou put up different play stations to attract children and their parents trying to entice them to buy their products. 

We went to the cell phone store at the mall. Though eager to help us,  the staff  told us that they could not serve customers with foreign passports. They redirected us to China Mobile where foreigners could buy SIM cards for their cell phones.

China Mobile is where we went to get our SIM card

The China Mobile store  was not too far away. We walked for about ten minutes and arrived at the store.

Though there were only a few customers waiting, we had to wait for quite a while as some staff members were on lunch break.

I remembered J. who has been living in China for a while now, told me that people could not get much done in China until after 2p.m. as  workers take lunch and siesta breaks between
12- 2pm each day. We got there shortly after 1pm and everything was pretty slow. Good thing they had a a comfortable place for people to sit and wait and there was a T.V. for watching a movie. Surely, as the clock stroke at 2pm, the store seemed to come alive with people and activities. 

When it was our turn, we presented our passports to the agent.  We received very good service and got our SIM card for two weeks in China for only 50 RMB ( about Can. $ 10.00!) Much cheaper than we had anticipated!

Tips - Yes, you must present your passport or a Government issued ID everywhere you go in China. Whether you want to buy long distance bus/ train tickets, conduct banking business or get a cell phone etc, you will need to present one of these documents.)

R.T.
Guangzhou
China