Hong Kong: 7 Best Prepaid SIM Cards Buying Guide (2023)

Hong Kong – known for being a financial center, neon lights & its skyline.

The country, territory, city-state, Special Administrative Region, or however you want to refer to it, is also known for its (street) food.

While Hong Kong has many impressive skyscrapers, just looking at them is not the only thing to do there.

You can even go to Disneyland in Hong Kong… but there are more attractions.

For example, heading to the top of Victoria Peak (Mount Austin) will give you a fantastic view of the city, especially when the sun is setting.

If you love cheap food, which my boyfriend certainly does (he is from Hong Kong, by the way), Temple Street Night Market.

And if you are into hiking, go on a hike on Dragon's Back (Shek O Peak).

As you can see, there is something for everything in Hong Kong.

What you should not do, in many cases, is roam internationally in Hong Kong – International roaming can be expensive.

That is why I always recommend local prepaid SIM cards, eSIMs & even travel eSIMs so that you can enjoy low rates for data, minutes & SMS.

Luckily, SIM cards are not too expensive in Hong Kong – the same applies to mobile data rates.

So, how much do SIM cards cost in Hong Kong?

You can get a Hong Kong SIM card for between 33 HKD (4.25 USD) and 298 HKD (38.30 USD) from China Mobile (CMHK), CSL Mobile (by HKT), 3 (Three) & SmarTone in their stores (+1O1O stores for CSL SIM cards). Resellers, like 7-Eleven and Circle K, sell SIM cards too. SIM cards are also sold at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).

If you are flying into Hong Kong International Airport, click on the link above to read about the SIM card options at the to save some reading time.

Now, these prices may seem a bit high, especially compared to countries in Southeast Asia.

But they are still (way) cheaper than international roaming.

In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Hong Kong. Let's go.

Original publication: 15th of December 2019. Last updated: 15th of March 2023.

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Table of Contents

Can You Buy a SIM Card in Hong Kong?

Anyone 16 years old or older living in or visiting Hong Kong can buy a Hong Kong SIM card from the mobile network operators (China Mobile (CMHK), Hong Kong Telecom (CSL Mobile), 3 (Three) & SmarTone) with some restrictions.

The main restriction is that you can only have ten active SIM cards PER mobile operator in your name in Hong Kong.

So if you somehow need 40 prepaid SIM cards, you can… but I bet questions will be asked 🗿.

I am not sure if you get ten SIM cards per sub-brand too (such as Club SIM and 7-Connect by CSL), but you are free to try out.

Besides that restriction, you are free to use Hong Kong SIM cards.

You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations (introduced in 2021 and enforced from March 2022).

Moreover, you need a phone that supports the frequencies used in the country (preferably all of them to have the most optimal experience while in Hong Kong).

Furthermore, you need to have a SIM-lock-free device.

Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Hong Kong?

You can get a Hong Kong SIM card in China Mobile (CMHK), 1O1O & CSL (both for CSL SIM cards), 3 (Three) & SmarTone stores. Resellers, like 7-Eleven and Circle K conveniece stores, also sell SIM cards. It is also possible to get SIM cards at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).

If you are flying into Hong Kong International Airport, click on the link above to read about the SIM card options at the to save some reading time.

You can expect to pay the following for Hong Kong SIM cards:

• China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK): 33 HKD, 48 HKD, 80 HKD, 98 HKD & 198 HKD
• CSL Mobile by Hong Kong Telecom: 48 HKD, 59 HKD, 78 HKD, 100 HKD, 180 HKD & 298 HKD (includes 7-Connect & Club SIM)
• 3 (Three) Hong Kong: 33 HKD, 48 HKD, 98 HKD, 168 HKD, 248 HKD & 298 HKD (includes SoSIM)
• SmarTone Hong Kong: 48 HKD, 65 HKD & 118 HKD

For up-to-date HKD:your currency (let's say NTD) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Can You Use Your Phone in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in Hong Kong. If your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSMA (99% of the phones do support GSM nowadays).

Traditional European frequencies are used in Hong Kong, which are mostly used in ITU Regions 1 and 3 (Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania).

The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2) use American frequencies, which differ from the European ones.

If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 and 3), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in Hong Kong.

If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, then there is a possibility you cannot use your phone when in Hong Kong or can only use slower networks (3G or 2G).

If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in Hong Kong (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE and 5G NR.

Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has four mobile network operators, with a handful of sub-brands, offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:

• China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK – 中國移動香港有限公司)
• CSL Mobile by Hong Kong Telekom (HKT (香港電訊有限公司) – 香港移動通訊有限公司) – includes 7-Connect & Club SIM
• 3 (Three) Hong Kong (3香港) – includes SoSIM
• SmarTone Hong Kong (數碼通)

The following frequencies are used in Hong Kong:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 850 MHz, 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1), 2300 MHz (Band 40) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78) & 4700 MHz (n79)

You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.

To check whether your phone will work in Hong Kong, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly – useful for phones launched in or before 2019. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility).

Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).

If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know.

VoLTE & VoWiFi in Hong Kong

Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFi calling) are available in Hong Kong. All Hong Kong mobile operators (China Mobile (CMHK), Hong Kong Telecom (including CSL Mobile, 7-Connect & Club SIM), 3 (Three) & SmarTone) offer both services.

This means that your phone does not have to downgrade to 2G or 3G when making a call in Hong Kong (unlike mobile operators that do not support VoLTE).

VoWiFi is, as the name implies, calling on a WiFi connection as opposed to on a cellular network.

5G NR in Hong Kong

Commercial 5G NR has been available in Hong Kong since April 2020. It is available on the China Mobile (CMHK), Hong Kong Telecom (CSL), 3 Hong Kong & SmarTone networks. Prepaid customers can use 5G NR (on select plans).

Best SIM Card in Hong Kong

Hong Kong SIM Card Reviews

Recently, I visited Hong Kong and tried out China Mobile, CSL Mobile, 3 & SmarTone.

While I give my opinions and recommendations in this guide, I share more of my personal experiences in my reviews (else… they would not be reviews 🤪).

I recommend reading the reviews after deciding which Hong Kong SIM card will be the best for you, after reading more about the SIM card you are interested in, or after your personal comparison.

At the end of each SIM card section, I will remind you and link to the review of the said SIM card so that you can flow easily to the next part of your assessment.

Best eSIM in Hong Kong

3 (Three) offers eSIMs to prepaid customers.

Note that the Hong Kong mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards as of March 2022 (will be discussed later).

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Hong Kong without personal detail capturing, you can get the Hong Kong (Hkmobile) eSIM from Airalo.

You have these four options:

1. Hong Kong/Hkmobile 1 GB eSIM for 7 days
2. Hong Kong/Hkmobile 3 GB eSIM for 30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Hong Kong/Hkmobile 5 GB eSIM for 30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Hong Kong/Hkmobile 10 GB eSIM for 30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13^th of March (2023 data only)

The Airalo links above will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.

For an in-depth analysis of the Airalo Hkmobile eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide.

You can also get Hong Kong eSIMs from Nomad (from 1 GB/7 days to 50 GB/30 days).

By the way, the 5 GB Nomad Hong Kong eSIM for 30 days is the most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, while the 20 GB for 30 days variant is very popular.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!

For an in-depth analysis of the Nomad Hong Kong eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide.

Finally, you can get Hong Kong eSIMs from Holafly if you prefer unlimited data plans and do not mind paying a bit more for this advantage:

• Hong Kong unlimited data eSIM for 5 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Hong Kong unlimited data eSIM for 10 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Hong Kong unlimited data eSIM for 15 days
• Hong Kong unlimited data eSIM for 20 days
• Hong Kong unlimited data eSIM for 30 days
• Hong Kong unlimited data eSIM for 60 days
• Hong Kong unlimited data eSIM for 90 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 7^th of March.

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

For an in-depth analysis of the Holafly Hong Kong eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide.

With these eSIMs, you can skip Hong Kong's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in Hong Kong!

TIP: check out my Best Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Hong Kong, including ones not mentioned above.

Airalo recently heavily improved its Asia eSIM, following the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries, with six variants: 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers, 10 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days to be used in Hong Kong and 13 other Asian countries:

Just like in Europe, many readers tend to visit multiple Asian countries, so they would rather have a travel eSIM covering multiple countries than just one (like Hong Kong).

TIP: Check out my eSIM lookup tool for an overview of local mobile operators offering eSIMs to prepaid customers and travel eSIMs I use and love (for eSIMs in Hong Kong and eSIMs worldwide) and my Best Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparion of several eSIMs for Hong Kong.

Best International/Travel SIM Card for Hong Kong

If you want to buy the best international/travel SIM card for Hong Kong, I recommend going with SimCorner's Hong Kong Travel SIM cards. Consider SimCorner's Asia SIM cards to be used in Hong Kong and 20+ countries, including neighboring China, Macau & Taiwan.

You have the following two Hong Kong Travel SIM cards:

• Hong Kong Travel SIM Card with 6 GB for 8 days
• Hong Kong Travel SIM Card with 6 GB for 15 days (new: also available as an eSIM)

You have these two Asia SIM cards:

• Asia SIM card with 6 GB for 8 days in 30 countries
• Asia SIM card with 6 GB for 15 days in 20+ countries (new: also available as an eSIM)

The SimCorner Asia SIM cards and eSIMs can be used in Hong Kong and the following other countries:

You can also get the SimCorner International Travel SIM card (new: also available as an eSIM) with 6 GB of data valid for 15 days to be used in Hong Kong and 100+ countries, including most of the ones mentioned above (Asia) and in the Americas, Europe & Oceania:

Instead of spending between 0.34 USD to 384 USD for SIM cards in each country, get a SimCorner travel SIM card (or eSIM) covering numerous countries for just one price!

Use discount code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings!

SIM Card Registration in Hong Kong

SIM card registration, with the use of your passport information, is mandatory in Hong Kong (as of March 2022). This will be done at the point of purchase OR can be done by yourself (self-registration) online.

Moreover, you can have up to ten active prepaid SIM cards ACROSS all mobile operators in Hong Kong.

This restriction applies to both Hong Kong citizens and non-citizens (including migrant workers and tourists).

What happens when you try going over this limit? I do not know – be my guest and try it 😏.

Hong Kong Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights

Currency in Hong Kong

Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong Dollar with the symbol HKD (which will be used throughout this guide).

However, prices are often listed as just $, 元 (rarely), or HK$. For example, 25 HKD = $/元/HK$25.

For reference, below are some exchange rates between HKD and USD (US Dollars):

• 1 HKD = 0.13 USD
• 10 HKD = 1.30 USD
• 100 HKD = 12.90 USD
• 1000 HKD = 128.55 NTD

For up-to-date HKD:your currency (let's say NTD – New Taiwan Dollar) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Hong Kong Prepaid SIM Cards

Below, I will guide you through China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK), CSL Mobile by Hong Kong Telecom, 3 Hong Kong & SmarTone Hong Kong, and go through:

• Background information
• Mobile coverage
• SIM card types, prices, and availability
• Recharge/top-up information
• Combo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs)

With that being said, let’s see what Hong Kong to offer to us.

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China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK – 中國移動香港有限公司)

China Mobile Hong Kong (中國移動香港有限公司), just China Mobile but also known as CMHK, is the largest mobile operator in Hong Kong.

As the name implies, it is run by China Mobile from China – the largest mobile operator in China and worldwide, with around 950 million subscribers.

But all Chinese mobile operators, including China Telecom and China Unicom, are run by the Chinese government because… well… reasons.

Anyway, China Mobile has the best overall network in Hong Kong.

China Mobile uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 1800 MHz
• 3G: 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1), 2300 MHz (Band 40) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78) & 4700 MHz (n79)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about China Mobile:

* Coverage
* How to Get a China Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* My Review
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)

China Mobile has near-perfect coverage in Hong Kong.

While this is true for all the other Hong Kong mobile operators, it is still remarkable.

Below is China Mobile's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)

You can get a China Mobile MySIM SIM card for 33 HKD or 48 HKD or a regular China Mobile SIM card between 48 HKD to 198 HKD in (some) China Mobile stores or from resellers, like 7-Eleven and Circle K. SIM cards are also sold at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).

If you are flying into Hong Kong International Airport, click on the link above to read about the SIM card options at the to save some reading time.

The following two China Mobile MySIM SIM cards are available:

Price	SIM Card	Data	Local Minutes	Validity
33 HKD	MySIM 4G SIM	50 GB 1, 2	5000 minutes	30 days
48 HKD	MySIM 5G SIM	3 GB	N/A	30 days

¹ @ 42 Mbps
² +unlimited data @ 128 Kbps after exhausting your data allowance (super slow!)

MySIM SIM cards cannot be purchased in China Mobile stores – only at 7-Eleven and (some) Circle K stores.

The following four regular China Mobile SIM cards are available:

Price	SIM Card	Credit	Data	Local Minutes	China Minutes	Validity
48 HKD	4G Super Talk Prepaid	46 HKD	2 GB 1	N/A	N/A	30 days
80 HKD	Data & Voice Prepaid	78 HKD	3 GB 1, 2	N/A	N/A	30 days
98 HKD	Local Data Prepaid	18 HKD	5 GB 1, 3	N/A	N/A	30 days
198 HKD	18 GB Local Data Prepaid	N/A	18 GB	1200 minutes	300 minutes	365 days

¹ +unlimited data @ 384 Kbps after exhausting your data allowance (annoyingly slow!)
² @ 7.2 Mbps
³ @ 21 Mbps

You can get these SIM cards in China Mobile stores, but salespeople will often direct you to the nearest 7-Eleven anyway.

Finally, you have the China Mobile Hong Kong Tourist SIM card, sold for 88 HKD giving you 80 GB @ 21 Mbps, unlimited data between 23:00 – 7:00 (also @ 21 Mbps), 1000 local minutes & 10 local SMS for 30 days (sold at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) only).

Do note that China Mobile has many more SIM card lines, including SIM cards for Hong Kong and Macau, Greater China (China, Hong Kong & Macau + Taiwan at times) & travel SIM cards (that sometimes can also be used in Hong Kong).

I only focus on local SIM cards in my guides to make things easier for you (else, I would have discussed way too many SIM cards in my Macau and Thailand SIM card buying guides too – the latter already has 20+ SIM cards per mobile operator).

Often, these Hong Kong+ SIM cards are more expensive than the local ones, but they may have more generous starter perks, including more data to be used in Hong Kong.

Still, I will only mention the local ones.

Finally, you have SIM cards targeting migrant workers (although the mobile operators refer to them as Domestic Helpers most of the time), including the Kabayan (the Philippines), My Friend (Pakistan and Thailand) & Rekanan (Indonesia) lines.

These SIM cards, and the plans offered with them, are often cheaper than the regular China Mobile SIM cards, but they often have (severe) speed restrictions, which makes them not worth it for travelers (but Filipino, Indonesian, Pakistani & Thai visitors could consider them – they include cheap calls and SMS back to those countries).

While China Mobile does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

Note that the Hong Kong mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards as of March 2022.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Hong Kong (without personal detail capturing), you can get Hong Kong Hkmobile eSIMs from Airalo (four options):

• 1 GB/7 days
• 3 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13^th of March (2023 data only)

No idea what or who Airalo is? Check out my Airalo review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over four years.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring Asian nations, consider the Airalo Asialink eSIM to be used in 14 Asian countries ¹ with six variants:

• 1 GB/7 days
• 3 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 50 GB/90 days
• 100 GB/180 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13^th of March (2023 data only)

¹ currently, newly bought Asialink eSIMs cannot be used in Singapore. Airalo is working on re-including Singapore in its Asialink offering

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!

• Be sure to check out my Airalo Asialink eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Hong Kong.

You can read about them in my Best Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

Note that China Mobile offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)

China Mobile has two data-featured prepaid plans: 4G/3G Local Data Packages & 5G Local Data Packages.

I will list all the prices in HKD (Hong Kong Dollar).

To convert HKD to your currency (let's say NTD – New Taiwan Dollar) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

4G/3G Local Data Packages – China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)

The 4G/3G Local Data Packages are data bundles (without 5G NR access).

The following 4G/3G Local Data Packages are available, which can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:

Price	Data 1	Validity	Activation Code
18 HKD	1 GB	1 day	*103*100*35#
30 HKD	Unlimited @ 384 Kbps	10 days	*103*100*09#
38 HKD	2 GB	3 days	*103*100*13#
40 HKD	2 GB 2	30 days	*103*100*44#
48 HKD	3 GB	5 days	*103*100*07#
68 HKD	3 GB @ 7.2 Mbps 2	30 days	*103*100*16#
88 HKD	3 GB 2	30 days	*103*100*17#
198 HKD	18 GB 3	365 days	*103*100*14#

¹ +unlimited data @ 384 Kbps after exhausting your data allowance (super slow!)
² auto-renews (dial *103*02# to disable auto-renewal)
³ +1200 local minutes and 300 minutes to China

5G Local Data Packages – China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)

The 5G Local Data Packages are data bundles (with 5G NR access).

The following 5G Local Data Packages are available, which can be activated on the MyLink Smart · life app:

Price	Data	Validity
18 HKD	1 GB	90 days
150 HKD	10 GB	90 days

My Review – China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)

I had the chance to try out China Mobile in early 2023.

It is the country's largest, best & fastest mobile operator (according to reports and my own experiences).

And prepaid users can use 5G NR as well (if you use the MySIM 5G SIM card like I did).

You can read my China Mobile review here.

APN/Internet Settings – China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK)

• Name: CMHK Data
• APN: cmhk

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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CSL Mobile by Hong Kong Telecom (HKT (香港電訊有限公司))

CSL Mobile by Hong Kong Telecom (HKT (香港電訊有限公司)) is the second-largest mobile operator in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Telecom has numerous sub-brands, including 1O1O, 7-Connect, Club SIM, CSL Mobile of course & SUN Mobile.

CSL Mobile is Hong Kong Telecom's leading brand, so it will get the most focus in this section.

But I will also write about 7-Connect and Club SIM.

Why not about 1O1O and SUN Mobile?

1O1O is Hong Kong Telecom's premium brand, focusing solely on postpaid customers.

SUN Mobile does have a prepaid line, Flex-Mobile, but it is expensive (compared to the other offers) and throttles speeds @ 1.5 Mbps (slow!).

Worry not; you have plenty of options with CSL Mobile itself anyway.

CSL Mobile has one of the overall networks in Hong Kong.

CSL Mobile uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78) & 4700 MHz (n79) – not for prepaid customers (yet)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about CSL Mobile:

* Coverage
* How to Get an CSL Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* My Review
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – CSL Mobile

CSL Mobile has near-perfect coverage in Hong Kong.

While this is true for all the other Hong Kong mobile operators, it is still remarkable.

Below is CSL Mobile's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – CSL Mobile

You can get a CSL Mobile SIM card for between 48 HKD to 298 HKD, the 7-Connect SIM card for 58 HKD, the (7-Eleven) Club SIM SIM card, the CSL New Series SIM card for between 58 HKD to 298 HKD & the Data Monthly SIM for 98 HKD in CSL and 1O1O stores or from resellers, like 7-Eleven and Circle K. SIM cards are also sold at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).

Note: many 1O1O stores do not deal with prepaid customers (but the one at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) does – click on the link to read my airport SIM card buying guide to save some reading time), but SIM cards should still be available in touristy areas.

The following four CSL Mobile regular SIM cards are available:

Price	Data	Local Minutes	Validity
48 HKD	6 GB	“Unlimited”, 10 000 minutes	30 days
100 HKD	10 GB	“Unlimited”, 10 000 minutes	365 days
180 HKD	28 GB	“Unlimited”, 10 000 minutes	365 days
298 HKD	40 GB	“Unlimited”, 10 000 minutes	365 days

The following three CSL Mobile New Series SIM cards are available:

Price	SIM Card	Credit	Data	Local Minutes	Validity
58 HKD	Student 4G Prepaid SIM 1	20 HKD	“Unlimited”, 2 GB 2	500 minutes	30 days
78 HKD	PaMa 4G Prepaid SIM	78 HKD	2 GB	500 minutes	30 days
298 HKD	Gamer 4G Prepaid SIM	60 HKD	20 GB	500 minutes	30 days

¹ you do not need to be a student to get this SIM card
² +unlimited data @ 512 Kbps after exhausting your data allowance (super slow!)

You can also get the 7-Connect SIM card, not to be confused with the 7-Eleven Club SIM, for 98 HKD with 1 GB every 30 days (6 GB), valid for 180 days.

Although this SIM card is slowly being replaced with Club SIM, so you will have a hard time finding one.

As mentioned above, you also have the 7-Eleven Club SIM, costing 58 HKD instead, but you get 20 GB (@ 42 Mbps) and unlimited local minutes for 30 days instead.

Finally, you have the CSL Mobile Data Monthly SIM with 20 HKD credit, 18 GB of data and 1000 local minutes for 30 days, costing 98 HKD (it is indeed not a data-only SIM card, even though the name indirectly suggests that).

Short-term visitors and tourists can also get the CSL Mobile Discover Hong Kong Tourist SIM cards – CSL Mobile's tourist offering.

The following two CSL Mobile Discover Hong Kong Tourist SIM cards are available:

Price	Credit	Data 1	Local Minutes	Validity
88 HKD	30 HKD	3 GB	Unlimited	5 days
118 HKD	48 HKD	8 GB	Unlimited	8 days

¹ also in Macau

Do note that CSL Mobile has many more SIM card lines, including SIM cards for Hong Kong and Macau, Greater China (China, Hong Kong & Macau) & travel SIM cards (that sometimes can also be used in Hong Kong).

I only focus on local SIM cards in my guides to make things easier for you (else, I would have discussed way too many SIM cards in my Macau and Thailand SIM card buying guides too – the latter already has 20+ SIM cards per mobile operator).

Often, these Hong Kong+ SIM cards are more expensive than the local ones, but they may have more generous starter perks, including more data to be used in Hong Kong.

Still, I will only mention the local ones.

Finally, you have SIM cards targeting migrant workers (although the mobile operators refer to them as Domestic Helpers most of the time), including the abc Mobile, Ceria, Hello Mobile, Hemat, HK Mobile & Your Mobile.

These SIM cards, and the plans offered with them, are often cheaper than the regular CSL Mobile SIM cards, but they often have (severe) speed restrictions, which makes them not worth it or travelers (but Filipino, Indonesian, Pakistani & Thai visitors could consider them – they include cheap calls and SMS back to those countries).

While CSL Mobile does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

But, Club SIM, also powered by CSL Mobile, does offer eSIMs (but you have to order them online).

Note that the Hong Kong mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards as of March 2022.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Macau (without personal detail capturing), you can get unlimited data eSIMs from Holafly (seven options):

• Unlimited/5 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Unlimited/10 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Unlimited/15 days
• Unlimited/20 days
• Unlimited/30 days
• Unlimited/60 days
• Unlimited/90 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 7^th of March.

The best part is that you can get 5% off using code PHONETRAVELWIZ on each Holafly eSIM purchase!

No idea what or who Holafly is? Check out my Holafly review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than ten countries over two years.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring Asia nations, consider the Holafly Asia eSIM to be used in 11 Asian countries with two variants:

• 6 GB/15 days (max. 500 MB/day)
• 10 GB/30 days (max. 500 MB/day)

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Holafly review!

Remember to use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off each Holafly purchase!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Hong Kong.

You can read about them in my Best Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

Note that CSL Mobile offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

---

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – CSL Mobile

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – CSL Mobile

CSL Mobile, 7-Connect & Club SIM have five data-featured prepaid plans:

• 4.5G Monthly Plans (combo for Club SIM)
• Local Data Passes
• Local Data Passes for CSL Data Monthly SIM & New Series Prepaid
• Local Data Passes for 7-Connect
• Data Packs (for Club SIM)

I will list all the prices in HKD (Hong Kong Dollar).

To convert HKD to your currency (let's say NTD – New Taiwan Dollar) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

4.5G Monthly Plans – Club SIM

The 4.5G Monthly Plans are combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes exclusively for the Club SIM SIM card.

4.5G Monthly Plans can be activated on the Club SIM app:

Price	Data 1	Local Minutes	Validity
58 HKD	20 GB	Unlimited	1 month
88 HKD	40 GB	Unlimited	1 month
128 HKD	80 GB	Unlimited	1 month

¹ @ 42 Mbps

Local Data Passes – CSL Mobile

The Local Data Passes are data bundles (without 5G NR access).

Local Data Passes can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
3 HKD	3 GB	2 hours	*101*532*4#
18 HKD	6 GB	1 day	*101*532*1#
28 HKD	1 GB	365 days	*101*835*37#
38 HKD	2 GB	30 days 1	*101*835*1#
38 HKD	9 GB	3 days	*101*532*2#
48 HKD	6 GB 2	30 days 1	*101*835*3#
68 HKD	10 GB	365 days	*101*835*38#
68 HKD	12 GB	7 days	*101*532*3#
78 HKD	18 GB 3	30 days 1	*101*835*21#
168 HKD	28 GB	365 days	*101*835*39#
238 HKD	40 GB	365 days	*101*835*40#

¹ auto-renews
² +300 local minutes
³ +1000 local minutes

Local Data Passes for CSL Data Monthly SIM & New Series Prepaid – CSL Mobile

The Local Data Passes for CSL Data Monthly SIM & New Series Prepaid are data bundles (without 5G NR access) exclusively for the CSL Data Monthly SIM & New Series Prepaid SIM cards.

Local Data Passes for CSL Data Monthly SIM & New Series Prepaid can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
3 HKD	3 GB	2 hours	*101*937*1#
18 HKD	6 GB	1 day	*101*937*11#
28 HKD	1 GB	365 days	*101*937*2#
38 HKD	9 GB	3 days	*101*937*12#
38 HKD	“Unlimited”, 2 GB 1	30 days 4	*101*937*98#
48 HKD	“Unlimited”, 6 GB 1, 2	30 days 4	*101*937*16#
68 HKD	10 GB	365 days	*101*937*14#
68 HKD	12 GB	7 days	*101*937*13#
78 HKD	“Unlimited”, 18 GB 1, 3	30 days 4	*101*937*17#
168 HKD	28 GB	365 days	*101*937*8#
238 HKD	40 GB	365 days	*101*937*4#

¹ +unlimited data @ 512 Kbps after exhausting your data allowance (super slow!)
² +300 local minutes
³ +1000 local minutes
⁴ auto-renews

Local Data Passes – 7-Connect

The Local Data Passes for 7-Connect are data bundles (without 5G NR access) exclusively for the 7-Connect SM card.

Local Data Passes for 7-Connect can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
18 HKD	1.2 GB	1 day	*122*532*1#
38 HKD	2 GB	3 days	*122*532*2#
58 HKD	1 GB/30 days (6 GB)	180 days	*122*532*0#
68 HKD	3 GB	7 days	*122*532*3#
90 HKD	1 GB	30 days	*122*532*5#
218 HKD	2 GB	Until SIM card expires	*122*532*4#

Data Packs – Club SIM

The Data Packs are data bundles (without 5G NR access) exclusively for the Club SIM SIM card.

4.5G Monthly Plans can be activated on the Club SIM app:

Price	Data	Validity
28 HKD	5 GB	90 days
48 HKD	10 GB	90 days
98 HKD	30 GB	90 days

My Review – CSL Mobile

I had to chance to try out CSL Mobile in January 2023.

It is the Hong Kong mobile operator with the most sub-brands and the most data-featured prepaid options in the country.

While CSL Mobile has the best 5G NR availability with China Mobile Hong Kong, prepaid customers could not yet use its 5G NR network.

Even then, I had a good experience with CSL Mobile… but I actually expected more (because I have high standards for Hong Kong, lol).

You can read my CSL Mobile review here.

APN/Internet Settings – CSL Mobile

• Name: HK Prepaid
• APN: mobile

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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3 Hong Kong (3香港)

3 (Three) Hong Kong (3香港), just 3, is the third-largest mobile operator in Hong Kong.

3 Hong Kong is a popular white label for travel SIM cards and eSIMs (re)sellers.

While you may not know it, it is highly probable that your travel eSIM is using 3 Hong Kong.

Three, as a company, is active in Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Indonesia (as Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison), Italy (as Wind Tre), Macau, Sweden & the United Kingdom.

3 uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: N/A – shut down in September 2021
• 3G: 900 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1), 2300 MHz (Band 40) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 700 MHz (n28), 3500 MHz (n78) & 4700 MHz (n79) – not for prepaid customers (yet)
• VoLTE: Yes (but not for prepaid customers)
• VoWiFi: Yes (but not for prepaid customers)

This is what you will learn about 3:

* Coverage
* How to Get a 3 SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* My Review
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – 3 Hong Kong

3 has near-perfect coverage in Hong Kong.

While this is true for all the other Hong Kong mobile operators, it is still remarkable.

Below is 3's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – 3 Hong Kong

You can get a 3 SIM card for 48 HKD or 98 HKD, a SoSIM SIM card for 33 HKD, or 3 4G LTE Data Package SIM Cards for 168 HKD, 248 HKD & 298 HKD in 3 stores or from resellers, like 7-Eleven, Circle K & Watsons. SIM cards are not sold at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).

If you are flying into Hong Kong International Airport, click on the link above to read about the SIM card options at the to save some reading time.

The default 3 SIM cards, called DIY, are sold together with plans (starting from 10 HKD).

But you will be required to spend at least 50 HKD in most cases (which can be a plan purchase or 50 HKD credit top-up).

3 All-In-One SIM/General Prepaid SIM cards cost 48 HKD or 98 HKD, with 48 HKD or 98 HKD credit, respectively.

You also have the (3) SoSIM SIM card. For 33 HKD, you get 50 GB (@ 42 Mbps) and 5000 local minutes for 60 days – the most popular 3 SIM card.

They can only be purchased at PARKnSHOP and Watsons.

Finally, you have the following three 3 4G LTE Data Package SIM cards:

Price	Data	Local Minutes	Validity
168 HKD	2.5 GB	38 minutes	2 days
248 HKD	3.5 GB	88 minutes	7 days
298 HKD	5 GB	168 minutes	14 days

Short-term visitors and tourists can also get the 3 HK Visitor Prepaid SIM – 3's tourist offering.

For 128 HKD, you get unlimited data, unlimited on-net minutes & 500 local SMS for 3 days (if you dial *127*388#).

It is possible to get a 3 (DIY) eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card (but this does not count for SoSIM).

Note that the Hong Kong mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards as of March 2022.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Nomad without personal detail capturing, you can get eSIMs from Nomad (ten options):

• 1 GB/3 days
• 3 GB/5 days
• 5 GB/10 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/15 days
• 15 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 20 GB/30 days
• 30 GB/30 days
• 40 GB/30 days
• 50 GB/30 days
• 100 GB/60 days

The best part is that you can get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off using code ADU123 on your first Nomad eSIM purchase!

No idea what or who Nomad is? Check out my Nomad review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over two years.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring Asian nations, consider the Nomad APAC eSIM (Asia-Pacific) to be used in 7, 12, or 15 countries, depending on the plan, with nine variants:

Note: only the 7 Countries Plan and 15 Countries Plan can be used in Hong Kong.

• 1 GB/3 days (15 Countries Plan)
• 3 GB/5 days (15 Countries Plan)
• 3 GB/30 days (7 & 12 Countries Plan)
• 5 GB/10 days (15 Countries Plan) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days (7 & 12 Countries Plan) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/15 days (15 Countries Plan)
• 20 GB/30 days (15 Countries Plan) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in February based on data up to the 7^th of February.

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Nomad review!

Remember to use code ADU123 for 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off your first Nomad purchase!

I have used, and will be using, the Nomad APAC eSIM in select countries it can be used in (I may try the Nomad SEA-Oceania eSIM instead – but in the long run, I will use it in all where possible).

• Be sure to check out my Nomad APAC eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Hong Kong.

You can read about them in my Best Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

Note that 3 offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

---

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – 3 Hong Kong

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – 3 Hong Kong

3 has three data-featured prepaid plans:

• Local Data Packages for SoSIM SIM card (combo)
• DIY Plans for DIY SIM card (combo)
• Local Data Packages (combo – yes, really)

I will list all the prices in HKD (Hong Kong Dollar).

To convert HKD to your currency (let's say NTD – New Taiwan Dollar) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Local Data Packages for SoSIM – SoSIM

The Local Data Packages are combo bundles (yes, really) with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes exclusively for the SoSIM SIM card.

Local Data Packages for SoSIM can be activated on the SoSIM app:

Price	Data	Social Data 1	Local Minutes	Validity
10 HKD	500 MB	N/A	N/A	1 day
18 HKD	2 GB	N/A	N/A	2 days
25 HKD	5 GB	N/A	N/A	7 days
33 HKD	50 GB	N/A	5000 minutes	30 days
50 HKD	50 GB	Unlimited	5000 minutes	30 days
98 HKD	60 GB	N/A	5000 minutes	30 days
88 HKD	120 GB	N/A	10 000 minutes	90 days
139 HKD	120 GB	Unlimited	10 000 minutes	90 days

¹ for Apple TV+, HMVOD, myTV & Netflix

DIY Plans for DIY – 3 Hong Kong

The DIY Plans are combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes exclusively for the DIY SIM card.

DIY Plans can be activated on the SIM World app:

Price	Data	Social Data	Local Minutes	Validity
10 HKD	1 GB 1	N/A	500 minutes	24 hours
50 HKD	2 GB 1	N/A	1000 minutes	30 days
100 HKD	12 GB 2	N/A	2000 minutes	30 days
120 HKD	12 GB 3	12 GB	10 000 minutes	365 days
150 HKD	20 GB 2, 3	N/A	3000 minutes	30 days
200 HKD	36 GB 3, 4	N/A	5000 minutes	30 days
270 HKD	100 GB 3	20 GB	10 000 minutes	365 days

¹ +unlimited data @ 128 Kbps after exhausting your data allowance (super slow!)
² +unlimited data @ 384 Kbps after exhausting your data allowance (super slow!)
³ +unlimited data between 23:00 – 7:00 at full speeds (even if you have exhausted your high-speed data allowance – where applicable)
⁴ +unlimited data @ 2 Mbps after exhausting your data allowance (slow!)

Local Data Packages – 3 Hong Kong

The Local Data Packages are combo bundles (yes, really) with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes.

Local Data Packages can be activated on the SIM World or SoSIM apps:

Price	Data	Local Minutes	Validity
18 HKD	50 MB	N/A	30 days
18 HKD	3 GB	N/A	2 days
38 HKD	2.5 GB	38 minutes	2 days
38 HKD	3 GB	N/A	3 days
38 HKD	5 GB	N/A	30 days
48 HKD	10 GB	N/A	30 days
88 HKD	5 GB	N/A	14 days
88 HKD	5 GB	88 minutes	8 days
98 HKD	30 GB	N/A	30 days
198 HKD	46 GB	500 minutes	365 days
168 HKD	5 GB	168 minutes	14 days
248 HKD	70 GB	N/A	90 days
365 HKD	120 GB	N/A	365 days

My Review – 3 Hong Kong

I had the chance to try out 3 in early 2023.

3 is often the worst mobile operator in the countries it operates in (except for Ireland somehow).

And that is (unfortunately) the case in Hong Kong too.

While 3 often had an excellent 3G network, its 4G/LTE network greatly lacked.

But with the rollout of 5G NR, 3 has been buying a lot of spectrum to build a fantastic network.

And the same is happening in Hong Kong.

Unfortunately, 5G NR could not be used by prepaid customers when I was in the country, so I was on its 4.5G network (which was often a glorified 3G network in terms of speed).

APN/Internet Settings – 3 Hong Kong

• Name: 3HK
• APN: mobile.lte.three.com.hk OR mobile.three.com.hk (depends on the SIM card you have)

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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SmarTone Hong Kong (數碼通)

SmarTone Hong Kong (數碼通), just SmarTone, is the smallest mobile operator in Hong Kong.

SmarTone is also active in Macau (but the prepaid offering is sad over there).

SmarTone uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: N/A – shut down in October 2022
• 3G: 850 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 700 MHz (n28), 850 MHz (n5), 900 MHz (n8), 2100 MHz (n1), 3500 MHz (n78) & 4700 MHz (n79)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about SmarTone:

* Coverage
* How to Get a SmarTone SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* My Review
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – SmarTone Hong Kong

SmarTone has near-perfect coverage in Hong Kong.

While this is true for all the other Hong Kong mobile operators, it is still remarkable.

However, SmarTone is lacking in 5G NR reach and availability.

Below is SmarTone's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – SmarTone Hong Kong

You can get a SmarTone SIM card for 48 HKD, 65 HKD & 118 HKD in SmarTone stores (1/2) or from (some) resellers, like 7-Eleven and Circle K. SIM cards are not sold at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) anymore.

If you are flying into Hong Kong International Airport, click on the link above to read about the SIM card options at the to save some reading time.

The 48 HKD SIM card automatically has the 1 HKD an hour Always On data plan enabled, charging you only 1 HKD for “unlimited” data for an hour (up to 5 GB a day @ 21 Mbps).

The 65 HKD SIM card featured 5 GB a day @ 21 Mbps and 2000 local minutes for 30 days.

The 118 HKD SIM card includes 118 HKD credit, which you can use to buy a plan (and I recommend purchasing one immediately so you do not waste your credit).

Do note that SmarTone has many more SIM card lines, including SIM cards for Hong Kong and Macau, Greater China (China, Hong Kong & Macau + Taiwan at times) & travel SIM cards (that sometimes can also be used in Hong Kong).

I only focus on local SIM cards in my guides to make things easier for you (else, I would have discussed way too many SIM cards in my Macau and Thailand SIM card buying guides too – the latter already has 20+ SIM cards per mobile operator).

Dial *111*13*1# to change the system's language to English (*111*13*2# for Cantonese (default) or *111*13*3# for Mandarin).

Dial *111*359# to see your SmarTone phone number.

While SmarTone does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

Note that the Hong Kong mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards as of March 2022.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Hong Kong (without personal detail capturing), you can get Hong Kong Hkmobile eSIMs from Airalo (four options):

• 1 GB/7 days
• 3 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13^th of March (2023 data only)

No idea what or who Airalo is? Check out my Airalo review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over four years.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring Asian OR Oceanian nations, consider the Nomad SEA-Oceania eSIM (Southeast Asia) to be used in eight countries with nine variants:

• 1 GB/3 days
• 3 GB/5 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/10 days
• 10 GB/15 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 15 GB/30 days
• 20 GB/30 days
• 30 GB/30 days
• 40 GB/30 days
• 50 GB/30 days
• 100 GB/60 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in February based on data up to the 7^th of February.

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Nomad review!

Remember to use code ADU123 for 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off your first Nomad purchase!

I have used, and will be using, the Nomad SEA-Oceania eSIM in select countries it can be used in (I may try the Nomad APAC eSIM instead – but in the long run, I will use it in all where possible).

• Be sure to check out my Nomad SEA-Oceania eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Hong Kong.

You can read about them in my Best Hong Kong eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

Note that SmarTone offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

Heck, you can even use VoNR (Voice over New Radio (5G)), which is still rare (but only if your phone supports 5G NR, of course).

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

---

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – SmarTone Hong Kong

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – SmarTone Hong Kong

SmarTone has three data-featured prepaid plans:

• Local Data Packs
• Monthly Data Packs
• 5G Experience Data Plans (for the 118 HKD starter pack only)

I will list all the prices in HKD (Hong Kong Dollar).

To convert HKD to your currency (let's say NTD – New Taiwan Dollar) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Local Data Packs – SmarTone Hong Kong

The Local Data Packs are data bundles (without 5G NR access).

Local Data Packs can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:

Price	Data	Validity	(De)Activation Code
8 HKD	“Unlimited”, 5 GB @ 21 Mbps	1 hour	*111*602#
24 HKD	“Unlimited”, 5 GB @ 21 Mbps	1 day	*111*207#
38 HKD	2 GB @ 21 Mbps	3 days	*111*208#
58 HKD	1 GB	30 days	*111*172#
68 HKD	3 GB @ 21 Mbps	7 days	*111*209#
168 HKD	3 GB	30 days	*111*198#

Local Data Packs auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial the (De)Activation Code.

Monthly Data Packs – SmarTone Hong Kong

The Monthly Data Packs are data bundles (without 5G NR access).

Monthly Data Packs can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:

Price	Data	Validity	(De)Activation Code
20 HKD	300 MB	30 days	*111*171#
148 HKD	5 GB	30 days	*111*173#
248 HKD	10 GB	30 days	*111*174#
398 HKD	20 GB	30 days	*111*175#

Monthly Data Packs auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial the (De)Activation Code.

5G Experience Data Plans – SmarTone Hong Kong

The 5G Experience Data Plans are data bundles (with 5G NR access for the 118 HKD starter pack only).

5G Experience Data Plans can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
48 HKD	5 GB	30 days	*111*308#
88 HKD	10 GB	30 days	*111*309#
118 HKD	12 GB	90 days	*111*310#

My Review – SmarTone Hong Kong

I had the chance to try out SmarTone in early 2023.

It is the country's smallest mobile operator, but it has an impressive network with (extremely) fast (5G NR) speeds.

And prepaid users can use 5G NR as well (if you use the 118 HKD SIM card like I did).

You can read my SmarTone review here.

APN/Internet Settings – SmarTone Hong Kong

• Name: SmarTone
• APN: SmarTone

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Hong Kong

Getting a SIM card from China Mobile (CMHK) or CSL Mobile would do you well when considering a Hong Kong SIM card.