China Unicom Cross Border King China and Hong Kong SIM card

The China Unicom Cross Border King Extra prepaid sim card gives you cheap calls in Hong Kong and mainland China. It also works in Japan, Macau and Taiwan, although call and data rates are slightly higher there.

The SIM comes with a Hong Kong mobile number. You will receive your Hong Kong phone number after your SIM card has been activated after you arrive in China or Hong Kong.

This is an all-in one voice and data SIM for use in Hong Kong and mainland China. There are flexible data packages to choose from, and you can also make cheaper international calls by using smart IDD dialling.

There is a monthly fee of HKD$6 (approx AUD 96c) which is taken from your prepaid credit.

The China Unicom Cross Border King Extra SIM card at a glance:


Your China Unicom Cross Border King Extra SIM card comes with HKD$80 credit, and the SIM can be recharged with more credit by phone using credit cards or Paypal.



This plan offers you:
Local calls to China and Hong Kong are HKD $0.45c/min (approx AUD 7c/min) (see below for prices in Macau)
Cheap international call package – register for the smart dialling IDD package HKD $10 (approx AUD $1.70) for 20 mins to landline in Australia.
Data packs are flexible and can be recharged HKD $48 (approx AUD $7.70) for 300MB/7 days or HKD $68 (approx AUD $10.90) for 500MB/30 days
Free incoming calls in Hong Kong and China.
monthly fee of HKD $6 (approx AUD 96c) is charged on the first day of each month






The China Unicom Cross Border King SIM card gives you international calls
Although calls to Macau and Taiwan are cheap, international calls to other countries are considerably more expensive. Calls to Australian mobile phones are approx AUD$1.35 per minute. It is recommended that you use an app such as Rebtel, Skype or Viber for most international calls (Rebtel is the best of these as it can piggyback your international call on top of a local call meaning that it does not use your data).
We recommend that you use an app such as Telegram or Whats App for all international text messages.

Read here for more information about international call charges.


The standard data rate is HKD $0.80/MB, but most people add a data package as this gives you much cheaper internet access.
The data packages are flexible and can be recharged HKD$48 (approx AUD $7.70) for 300MB/7 days or HKD$68 (approx $10.90 AUD) for 500MB/30 days




Requires an unlocked phone (read here for more information).
You will receive your Hong Kong mobile phone number (sent to your mobile) when the SIM is activated in China or Hong Kong
This SIM card is made specifically for the Hong Kong market by China Unicom, so prices for top ups are in Hong Kong Dollars. The customer service is also based in Hong Kong (and is available in English).
Tethering (using your phone as a mobile hotspot) is allowed on this SIM.
SIM will expire 90 days after activation or when there is no remaining credit to pay for the HKD$6 (approx AUD 96c) monthly fee

There is a monthly fee of HKD$6 (approx AUD 96c) which is taken from your prepaid credit, and when your credit runs out, the SIM will expire.

A great option for use in Hong Kong and mainland China

The China Unicom SIM card is a great option for use in both Hong Kong and mainland China. It is a Hong Kong SIM card (with a Hong Kong number) but it also lets you use your phone in mainland China at the same rates as using it in Hong Kong. Even better, because it is a Hong Kong SIM it has all the advantages of a Hong Kong mobile service that would not be available with a SIM card purchased in mainland China. This means that your SIM card is easy to activate (just put it in your phone), customer service is available in English, you can top up with a regular MasterCard or Visa credit card (many networks in mainland China only accept the UnionPay card) and you have access to all websites that are available in Hong Kong such as Facebook, Google and Wikipedia (which are not usually available in mainland China).

Call rates

Call rates in Hong Kong and mainland China are:

We recommend that you combine this SIM with an app such as Rebtel for cheaper international calls. Combining Rebtel with the China Unicom Cross Border King SIM card means that you would only pay around AUD 15c per minute to call Australia (that is 7c for a local China/Hong Kong call plus 8c per minute to Rebtel for the international portion of the call).

Data charges

The standard charge for data access in Hong Kong and mainland China is HKD $0.80/MB, which works out at HKD $819.20/GB (around AUD 131.34/GB. Fortunately you're only charged the standard data rate if you do not add a data package. We strongly recommend that you add a data package for the best value data access.

Data packages for use in Hong Kong and mainland China include:

Because your data package is automatically cancelled, it is very important to renew your data package to avoid being charged the standard data charge.

Using this SIM card in Japan, Macau and Taiwan

You can also use this SIM card in Japan, Macau and Taiwan, however it does cost more to use it in these countries. Call rates in Macau and Taiwan are reasonable for a short stay, however it is recommended that you use the China Unicom Japan data SIM card if you are visiting Japan.

Call rates from Japan, Macau and Taiwan

When using this SIM card in Japan, Macau and Taiwan, call rates are:

Data rates in Japan, Macau and Taiwan

When using this SIM card in Japan, Macau and Taiwan, data charges are HKD $0.02/KB or HKD $20.48/MB (around AUD $3.28) with a maximum daily charge of HKD $68 (around AUD $10.90).

Easy to activate

Activating your China Unicom Cross Border King SIM card is easy. Simply insert the SIM card in your device in China or Hong Kong and your SIM is active. Please note that you must be within the coverage area of China Unicom's network in China or the Three network in Hong Kong when you first start using this SIM.

In most cases your phone will automatically configure itself to access the internet, however in some cases you may need to manually configure your APN settings. The APN setting is 3gnet (instructions on changing your APN settings are included with your SIM card). Data roaming must be switched on in order to access data outside Hong Kong.

Topping up credit

If you need to top up credit you can do this either online or at retail stores in Hong Kong.

Most people top up online (which is the only option if you are in mainland China). When you top up online you can use PayPal or credit cards (MasterCard, Visa or UnionPay). To top up online, simply go to www.cuniq.com/tp, then click the link on the top right-hand side of the screen to switch to English, then enter your Hong Kong mobile number and follow the prompts to choose your top up amount and complete payment by credit card or PayPal.

This service is provided by China Unicom Hong Kong for the Hong Kong market, which means that credit top ups are priced in Hong Kong dollars. This also means that the online top up system is available in English and will accept MasterCard, Visa card and PayPal for payment. Many data SIM cards purchased in mainland China will only accept payment by China UnionPay credit cards.

You can also buy top up vouchers (for HKD $50 or HKD $100) at 7-Eleven and Circle K convenience stores in Hong Kong.

How long does the SIM card remain valid for?

Your China Unicom Cross Border King SIM card will remain valid for between 30 and 540 days from the last date that you topped up credit. The validity period will depend on the amount of your last top up.