Hong Kong

Basics
The mobile networks in Hong Kong are independent from those in mainland China. Unlike there, in Hong Kong only GSM-operators are on the air. Their number has gone down to 4 in 2014 when CSL merged under the roof of Hong Kong Telecom:
 * Three (3, by Hutchison Whampoa)
 * csl (formerly CSL and PCCW Mobile, by Hong Kong Telecom)
 * SmarTone
 * China Mobile Hong Kong

2G is on 900 and 1800 Mhz up to EDGE, 3G on 850/900 and 2100 Mhz up to DC-HSPA+. 4G/LTE started in 2012 already and covers most of the city on 1800 and 2600 Mhz on all providers while China Mobile offers 2300 Mhz TDD-LTE too.

Coverage is excellent all over the city on all networks. For 3G Three is best in speeds and coverage, for 4G csl. But these operators do not really differ a lot.

SIM cards in Hong Kong don’t need registration and are sold in many stores. It’s recommended to go to stores of the operators or a small independent phone shops where somebody speaks English. So he/she can help you of setting up. Reload vouchers can be found all over the city in places like 7-Eleven or Circle K convenience stores.

Tethering and VoIP calls are allowed. All cards in Hong Kong charge an “administration fee” of HK $ 2.50 per month (effective from summer 2015) which is basically a state tax. It will be deducted after 30 days of use.

There are some pre-paid SIM cards that can be used across Hong Kong and mainland China (commonly called as "one-card-two-numbers" in local) and the "Great Firewall of China” censorship doesn’t apply to data routed through these SIM cards, so they are great options as roaming cards in China too (see China Unicom section in article for China).

Three (3, by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.)
Three offers 4G/LTE, 3G, GSM dual-band mobile telecommunications and Wi-Fi services in Hong Kong. The MTR (metro, subway) is fully covered by LTE now.

They have a huge portfolio of different SIM cards on 3G only and on 4G too which are presented one by one. Their “face value” is at the same time purchase price and preloaded credit. An “administration fee” of 2.50 HK$ per month will be imposed on all cards from summer 2015.

To recharge buy vouchers and press ##105*<16-digit PIN># and

HK Local Prepaid SIM (2G, 3G)
Their standard voice and data SIM sells for HK$ 48 or HK$ 98. Data is 2 HK$ per MB and beyond unlimited with a daily cap of 28 HK$ (until midnight) and a monthly cap of 338 HK$. No packages are offered.

HK Visitor Prepaid SIM (2G, 3G)
This voice and data SIM has a face value of 128 HK$ and the same data rates as the local prepaid SIM. You can buy for 88$ a “3-day-pass” package to have unlimited local calls and data for 3 days. To activate press *127*388#, to deactivate #127*388#

4G/LTE Data Package SIM
Their voice and data SIM with monthly packages. They are sold in three sizes: LTE Data Package is valid for 30 days from the day of package subscription. The package will be terminated after package end date (cut-off time is 23:59). Manual re-subscription is required after package expired.
 * 1 GB: HK$ 168
 * 2 GB: HK$ 248
 * 3 GB: HK$ 298

To add data, the rates are equal to the start-up prices. Text code *127*610# for 1 GB, *127*620# for 2 GB and *127*630# for 3 GB. To get free 3 Wifi send a blank SMS to 503106 (for 0.5 HK$).

4G/LTE day pass data SIM
This is the same product with voice, text and data on a time-based package. They are sold in three sizes: LTE Local Data Package is valid for 2-day/7-day/14-day from the day of package subscription. The package will be terminated after package end date (cut-off time is 23:59). Manual re-subscription is required after package expired.
 * 2 days: HK$ 38 – FUP: 200 MB
 * 7 days: HK$ 88 – FUP: 700 MB
 * 14 days: HK$ 168 – FUP: 1.5 GB

To re-subscribe type *127*602# for two days, *127*607# for 7 days or *127*602# for 14 days. Same prices as above.

When you have reached the related usage level (200MB/700MB/1.5GB), the Fair Usage Policy will be applied. The customer can still continue to use the service. However, you may have lower network priority to 128kbps.

4G/LTE Data Prepaid SIM
This SIM has voice and text too and is sold for a face value of 198 HK$. Default data is 2 HK$ per MB capped at 33 HK$ per day. For this SIM, they offer three different data packages: The 10-day pack expires, the monthly packs auto-renew if there is credit. To stop type #127*650# for the 300 MB and #127*617# for the 1.5 GB pack.

3G Data Prepaid SIM
This SIM is like the 4G Data Prepaid SIM but only on 2G and 3G. It is sold for a face value of HK$ 198. Default data is HK$ 2 per MB with a daily cap of HK$ 18 and a monthly cap of HK$ 168. The only data pack they offer is a weekly unlimited pack for HK$ 68. Activation *127*763#, as it will auto-renew, to deactivate #127*763#.

Wireless Broadband Mobile SIM (2G, 3G)
This SIM is sold in different sizes: for a face value of HK$ 48, 68, 98 or 298. It has voice and text too. Default data is 2 HK$ capped at 28 HK$ per day and 348 HK$ per month.

They offer two data packages on this SIM:
 * a weekly unlimited pack for HK$ 68. Activation *127*763#, as it will auto-renew, to deactivate #127*763#.
 * a monthly unlimited pack for HK$ 188. Activation *127*719#, as it will auto-renew, to deactivate #127*719#.

Roaming Data Daily Pass (for China and Macau)
For travelers to mainland China, Three gives out this pass on the Local Prepaid SIM, the Visitor Prepaid SIM, the Data Prepaid SIM and the Wireless Broadband Mobile SIM but NOT on the Data Package or Day Pass Data SIMs.

For 98 HK$ daily (0-24 hrs local time) you have unlimited data on the networks of China Unicom in mainland China and Three in Macau without registration. To subscribe type *127*31#, to unsubscribe #127*31#.

More info

 * APN: mobile.three.com.hk /or/ mobile.lte.three.com.hk
 * Website: http://www.three.com.hk

CSL (formerly PCCW Mobile, one2free)
Hong Kong Telecom is merging the two smaller networks to the new provider called CSL after Telstra from Australia sold its shares in 2014.

Local Octopus Prepaid SIM card
It is sold exclusively at 7-Eleven stores in HK for HK$98 with HK$58 HK$ credit valid for 180 days, 300 MB of data for every 30 days (until 180 days after activation) and unlimited free Wifi access. The card can also be used as the Octopus Card with NFC-compatible phones (need to top-up the Octopus purse before use).

An administration fee of HK$2.50 will be charged after 30 days. These data passes can be added

All packages come with unlimited free Wifi.

Discover Hong Kong Tourist SIM Card
This tourist SIM is released by the local Tourism Board and used to be on the PCCW-HKT network which has been merged to CSL now.

You can get the Discover Hong Kong Tourist SIM Card at any 1O1O shop in town, including the new outlet at 5/F of the HKG Arrival Hall, more than 2,000 7-Eleven, Circle K or VanGO convenience stores, csl. or PCCW-HKT shops, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Kowloon Visitor Centre at the Star Ferry Concourse in Tsim Sha Tsui

It comes in three sizes:
 * For HK$ 69 with 1.5 GB and free local calls and Wifi for 5 days plus HK$ 25 credit. Another 5 days pack with 1.5 GB can be bought for HK$ 50. It’s on 2G and 3G only.
 * For HK$ 118 with 5 GB and free local calls and Wifi for 8 days plus HK$ 48 credit. A 5 days add on with 1.5 GB can be bought for HK$ 50. It’s on 2G, 3G and 4G LTE.


 * For HK$ 96 with 5 GB and free local calls and Wifi for 8 days plus HK$ 35 credit. This card is on 2G and 3G only and will be terminated after 8 days.

PCCW-HKT 3G Rechargeable SIM Card
This local voice and data SIM is available at 7-Eleven and other stores for HK$ 48. Default data rate is HK$ 3 per MB. These data packages can be booked on the card:

More info

 * APN for Local Octopus SIM: hkcsl
 * APN for Tourist and PCCW card: pccw
 * Website: http://www.hkcsl.com/en/Prepaid/

SmarTone
Though SmarTone is the smallest operator in the city by market share, it constantly gets good marks for its 3G and 4G service.

Availability
Unlike the other operators, they only have one prepaid product: their Broadband & Voice Stored-Value SIM. It is sold at their own SmarTone stores store ocatior and authorized dealers:reseller list Recharge vouchers are sold at the same places.

Price is HK$ 48 or HK$ 80 with the same value.

Default data rate
Data is by default HK $8 per hour for unlimited data usage. Upon spending HK$24 in a day, the rest of the day is free till 11:59pm. Under FUP (Fair Usage Policy), when the data usage is calculated within a month from the first day of the bill cycle reaches fair usage level of 5 GB, data service continues without speed throttling or data capping, but access to network resources will be given lower priority and data service experience may be affected. Officially Data on prepaid cards is "3G only", but LTE data has now enabled w/o any extra cost (Oct 2015).

Data feature pack
They offer one package only: A monthly data pack with 300MB for HK$38, thereafter charge HK$ 10 per 50 MB. To subscribe type *111*191# and to unsubscribe type #111*191#.

Balance check and validity
To check balance, dial *111#. You will receive a SMS with the information about Expiry date, store value and data charge consumed.

Your SIM card is valid for 180 days from the activation date. Once you recharge w/ HK$50 or more, your validity is reset for another 180 days.

More info

 * APN: smartone
 * Website: http://www.smartone.com

China Mobile Hong Kong
China Mobile from mainland China is the biggest network provider of the world what customers are concerned. It operates a network in Hong Kong too. Unlike in mainland China its 3G and 4G is fully compatible with GSM-devices from all over the world and data is not censored on Hong Kong SIM cards.

2G SIM cards
China Mobile sells a lot of prepaid SIM cards which are only on 2G up to EDGE for data. While this makes sense for China because of incompatibility, it slows down data speed in Hong Kong considerably.

So their Local Prepaid SIM cards and also the Visitor Prepaid SIM card cannot be recommended for data as they stick to 2G/EDGE always. The only 2G prepaid SIM card that can be recommended in a data context is the 1-Card-2-Number SIM for reasons mentioned in the China section. A 3G/4G version now exists (details below) but data pricing has increased, so the 2G version can still be recommended for those on a budget (see the China section for pricing details).

4G/3G Data and Voice Prepaid SIM card
This is their first prepaid SIM on 3G and 4G. It is sold for 80 HK$ with a credit of 78 HK$ valid for 180 days. Default data rate is 0.5 HK$ with a daily cap (at midnight) at HK$ 28.

You can add these data packs:

* Tethering and P2P access are not allowed on their "3G Lite Unlimited Data Package". Use only on handsets with a screen smaller than 7".

4G/3G Individual Traveler SIM
If a 1.5 GB 5-day package is all you need, this is the cheaper way to go. The SIM is for HK$ 68 with the package activated, ready to use, and HK$18 credit available for any voice or texting needs. Do note that this SIM is only valid for 5 days without an additional top-up (with the packages mentioned above).

Also note that this package is targeted at visitors from Mainland China, and does not have an official English name, nor is the packaging in English. You may have to ask for it by its Chinese name (4G/3G自遊行手機卡).

Roaming SIM cards from China Mobile Hong Kong
China Mobile sells many different roaming SIM cards with a data allowance for HK and mainland China on its network there. They are a good way to bypass the "Great Firewall of China". But for China Mobile you need to have devices for their 3G and 4G frequencies which are rarely sold outside of China. The most recent iPhone (6S/6S+) and iPad (Air 2) models will function on mainland 4G regardless of where you purchased it. If you are purchasing a device locally to use in China for this purpose (Android phones purchased in the mainland will not have Google services available), devices capable of using the mainland 4G network are referred to as "Dual LTE" in English. For more information check the appropriate section at China Mobile in our China article.

More info
 * APN: CMHK
 * Website: http://www.hk.chinamobile.com/en

China Unicom
The second largest mobile provider in mainland China acts as a MVNO in Hong Kong. It operates on the network of Three (some newer voice SIMs use the CSL network instead). China Unicom doesn’t offer good prices for the city, but hassle-free roaming cards for their network in mainland China. They come without registration and data will not be censored. Their offers are described in detail in the China section.

Lycamobile
Lycamobile from Britain soft-launched in April 2015 as one of the first MVNOs in the city. It uses the network of Three by Hutchison Whampoa in 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE and gives free calls amongst Lycamobile users.

Availability
Like usual, Lycamobile SIM cards are available for free in their sales outlets. Unfortunately, there is no online list and they may be hard to find at first. Alternatively, they can be ordered online to be sent to an address in town. Top-ups can be made using a voucher bought at one of their sales partners or again online using an international credit card.

Data packages
Data by default is charged at HK$15 per MB. They sell these packages:
 * daily packages
 * 1.2 GB: HK$ 18, activation: *139*1011#
 * 5 GB: HK$ 68, activation: *139*1012#
 * weekly packages
 * 500 MB: HK$ 18, activation: *139*1071#
 * 1 GB: HK$ 28, activation: *139*1072#
 * 3 GB: HK$ 68, activation: *139*1073#
 * 5 GB: HK$ 120, activation: *139*1074#
 * monthly packages
 * 500 MB: HK$ 38, activation: *139*1031#
 * 1 GB: HK$ 48, activation: *139*1032#
 * 3 GB: HK$ 140, activation: *139*1033#

More info

 * APN: data.lycamobile.hk
 * Username: lmnl (it says on their website, but this can be an error), try: lmhk
 * Password: plus