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International calls can be made directly from hotel rooms with IDD lines. Some large post offices also provide this service. Otherwise, look for roadside kiosks with an IDD sign. An inexpensive way to make long distance calls is by using an IP (Internet Tel) card, which cost about 4.8 yuan per minute, less than half the rate of an IDD call. IP cards can be obtained at hotels, Internet cafes and newsstands and are available in both English and Chinese. You may also use Internet based services such as QQ, MS Messenger and Skype.
Cell Phones
If you are going to be staying in Beijing for even a short time, it may prove economical to purchase a prepaid Chinese SIM card for your cell phone. There are two mobile operators in China, China Mobile and China Unicom. Both offer a range of prepaid packages starting at around 50 yuan for the SIM, depending on the distinctiveness of the phone number (Chinese people are generally superstitious about numbers, so some phone numbers are more desirable than others). It costs to receive calls so you will be required to purchase a minimum 50-yuan "top-up" card initially. Calls to Beijing landlines or cells are charged at a fixed rate of between 0.2 yuan and 0.6 yuan per minute. To receive calls costs between 0.1 yuan and 0.4 yuan per minute, and text messages are fixed at 0.1 yuan per message. China Mobile offers an English-language operator assistance line on 10086 while China Unicom's service is at 10010. To avoid high costs on long-distance calling, add 17951 before the desired number. Both operators offer GSM standards, while China Unicom also offers CDMA.
Internet and E-mail
Internet cafes are plentiful in central Beijing and cost 3-15 yuan ($0.23-$2) per hour for a relatively high-speed connection. They are generally open all night. Many bars and cafes offer free Wi-Fi services. Internet access and other high-tech services are increasingly available in hotel business centers, but prices are high.
Communication and Internet Service
Service: Fixed phone and Internet service
Provider: Beijing branch of China Unicom
Hotline: 10010
http://www.bjtelecom.com.cn
Service: Fixed phone and Internet service
Provider: Beijing Company Limited of China Telecom
Hotline: 10000
http://www.bjtelecom.net
Service: Mobile phone service
Provider: Beijing Branch of China Mobile
Hotline: 10086
http://www.bj.10086.cn
Service: Mobile phone (CDMA) service
Provider: Beijing branch of China Unicom
Hotline: 10010
http://www.bj.chinaunicom.com
Provider: Fixed phone service
Provider: Beijing branch of China Tietong
Hotline: 10050
http://www.cttbj.com
Postal Service
Tourist hotels provide postal services. If you want to send important items such as antiques or cultural relics that are under customs control, you must consult the local branch of the international post office, instead of hotel post offices. In addition to regular postal services, the International Post & Telecommunications Office handles remittances, money orders, telegraphic money transfers, and international and domestic telephone and telegraph services. In the same building there is a customs office for those who need customs clearance. Additionally, packages can be collected from this office. You can also send postcards, letters and express mail to any place in the world via EMS, DHL, FedEx and UPS. However, any form of publication (such as books, magazines and newspapers) or parcels, must be sent from an authorized post office.
Jianguomen Post Office (a branch of the Beijing International Post Office)
Address: Jianguomen Beidajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: +86 10 6512 8120
http://vip.fesco.com.cn/bipto
