SIM for Hong Kong

[CLX]

My son has just gone to Hong Kong uni as an exchange student for a year.

We anticipated that he would download an eSim, as using his existing one costs £6/day (O2).

Turns out his Galaxy S8 isn't compatible with eSims though.

Any suggestions of what he should do? Another normal SIM I presume, but from where?

Thanks!

[Aunty Pasty]

If you want a UK SIM, 3 PAYG does not have a daily roaming charge. Not sure if there will be any issues long term though.

[kestonian]

Pick up a tourist SIM from any 7/11 or Circle K for about 35 HKD / 3.50 GBP (bring your passport or HKID to buy it) and that will get him started.

From then on, top up data on that or head to World Wide House in Central and copy what the foreign domestic workers are doing that week - they will always seek out the best deals!

I think I pay 72 HKD a month now for a one year contract. I’m not sure how much data I get but never run out. I’m with CSL if that helps.

[wyson]

He could land in HK, get a dual sim ‘International’ phone. Stick a local sim and his UK O2 sim in it. I would go this route, especially as his phone is old. Would also make sense if he is locked in a contract with O2.

I guess the eSim and O2 SIM thing you are talking about is the most upto date version of this? eSim won't be as flexible though. Some MVNO's in the UK don't support them for instance.

Or he could get something like this and port his o2 number over before he leaves. Can use his free data allowance out there:

https://www.cmlink.com/uk/en/

Basically if you whatsapp call / message using data, it won’t cost him a penny more than using the phone in the UK.

Edited by wyson on Thursday 12th September 12:54

[wong]

He needs to use WhatsApp calling more.

Tell him to go to Sham Shui Po (it's on the MTR) and there are a few market stalls selling SIM cards. Tell them what you need and they'll sort it. If they are quiet, they may even help install it. He'll need a passport or HK ID card to register (prevents burner phones).

[wyson]

www.wondamobile.com

Shows a lot of international dual SIM phones of the sort they can get in HK.

[CLX]

Thanks all. I'll forward these suggestions to him now!

Cheers

[shtu]

Depending on model, the S8 could be a dual-SIM phone. Other than that, everyone above has covered it, use a decent local SIM, it'll cost a few £ a month.

I'd keep the UK SIM for consistency myself, rather than lose the UK number, but that's personal preference. If he has a single-SIM S8, just buy a cheap brick for it to live in.

[CLX]

shtu said:

Depending on model, the S8 could be a dual-SIM phone. Other than that, everyone above has covered it, use a decent local SIM, it'll cost a few £ a month.

I'd keep the UK SIM for consistency myself, rather than lose the UK number, but that's personal preference. If he has a single-SIM S8, just buy a cheap brick for it to live in.

Cheers

[CLX]

shtu said:

Depending on model, the S8 could be a dual-SIM phone. Other than that, everyone above has covered it, use a decent local SIM, it'll cost a few £ a month.

I'd keep the UK SIM for consistency myself, rather than lose the UK number, but that's personal preference. If he has a single-SIM S8, just buy a cheap brick for it to live in.

If it's Single SIM, can he just swap the SIM for now and then just put the original one back in when he comes home?

He wouldn't lose his number, would he? Or did you just mean he couldn't use his number while the local SIM was in?

[dapprman]

You could check out the best suitable deals while over here. Last time I was in HK the best SIM deal I could find was available from news agents type shops and I bought one actually at the airport for street price (i.e. not inflated through being at the airport).

[CLX]

dapprman said:

You could check out the best suitable deals while over here. Last time I was in HK the best SIM deal I could find was available from news agents type shops and I bought one actually at the airport for street price (i.e. not inflated through being at the airport).

Thanks. He's already there now. I'll ask him to check newsagents etc, as well as other sources mentioned above.