Three Options Ranked
1. Travel eSIM (best for most patients)
Activate before you fly. Works the moment your phone connects to a Chinese carrier. No physical card swap. No VPN-related connectivity issues for messaging your case manager.
Recommended providers: Airalo, Holafly, Nomad. Plans: 5GB / 7 days = ~$10, 20GB / 30 days = ~$25.
2. Physical SIM card
Buy on arrival from China Mobile or China Unicom kiosks (passport required). ¥100 = 30 days, 30GB. Best if you need a Chinese phone number for app verifications.
Catch: Apps like Didi sometimes accept your foreign number; sometimes a Chinese number unlocks more reliable service.
3. International roaming from your home carrier
Convenient but expensive: $5–15/day on most US/EU carriers. Works fine for messages but slow for video calls. Acceptable for short stays (under 5 days) or executive health checkup trips.
Recommendations by Use Case
- 1-week pre-treatment scouting trip: Roaming or 7-day eSIM
- 2–3 week treatment + recovery: 30-day eSIM (Airalo or Holafly)
- Multi-month long stay (e.g., proton therapy): Physical SIM with a Chinese number
What About VPN?
If you depend on Google services (Gmail, Google Maps, WhatsApp, Google Translate online mode), bring a VPN. Set it up before you fly — most VPN websites are blocked in China.
Alternatives that work without VPN: WeChat (messaging your case manager), Baidu Maps, Baidu Translate, Outlook/Yahoo email, Bing.
What SSAnkang Provides
Coordinated patients receive a welcome envelope at hotel check-in containing:
- Local emergency numbers (in English)
- Hotel WiFi credentials
- Backup pre-paid SIM (if you didn't arrange your own)
- QR code to add your case manager on WeChat directly
Bottom Line
For 90% of our patients an eSIM purchased in advance is the smoothest option. Total cost under $25 for a full treatment trip; no airport line, no language barrier, instant connectivity. Talk to your case manager if you have specific app dependencies — we'll help you plan around them.
