john1111 Posted August 30, 2014 at 10:30 AM Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 at 10:30 AM Hi everyone, sorry if this is a stupid question.... I'm thinking of buying an unlocked Google Nexus 5, Samsung Galaxy S4 or Sony Xperia Z2 in the UK but I need to be able to use the phone in China. A retailer told me that phones bought in the UK don't work in China... even if they are unlocked.... Please can someone confirm for me whether I'm ok to buy one here and use it in China?? Any assistance provided greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edelweis Posted August 31, 2014 at 01:21 PM Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 at 01:21 PM As long as your phone uses a SIM card, you should be able to buy a Chinese SIM card and put it in your phone to make phone calls. (you could also use your UK SIM card if it allows roaming but the costs would be high). However, if you want to use data (i.e. not only phone calls, but also wap and/or internet), you must check your phone's exact flavour of data capability (as in EDGE, 3G WCDMA, 4G, whatever) and then research which Chinese operators have a matching network. A few years ago, one Chinese operator had 3G TD-SCDMA, while another had 3G WCDMA. So a foreign phone wouldn't have been able to work on the TD-SCDMA network because this one was a Chinese standard. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonic_Duck Posted September 1, 2014 at 05:05 AM Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 at 05:05 AM I brought an unlocked HTC Desire HD with me to China and it worked fine, though I was never on a plan with data, so I'm not sure about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiaoxiongwv Posted September 1, 2014 at 08:24 AM Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 at 08:24 AM You should be fine as long as it is unlocked. I bought my friends unlocked iphone from America and it works just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1111 Posted September 1, 2014 at 09:13 AM Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2014 at 09:13 AM Thanks for the info guys! I want to get an unlocked Nexus5 and buy a China Unicom simcard for it - can't see why that shouldn't work and everyone has said it should be no problem except for 1 member of staff in Carphone Warehouse who filled my mind with doubt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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