In case anyone is trying to use an iPad in China I would like to offer some advice since I could not find it as I was trying to figure it out. I am in Beijing and today I bought a China Unicom SIM which was prepaid with RMB1200. I cut it down and was able to use it immediately.

The APN, username, and password are all "3GNET". Worked immediately and is very fast (at least faster than the internet in my apartment here).

The account consumes RMB80 per month as a minimum and that gives you 1GB of data. If you go over that it is RMB150 for 3GB, RMB200 for 5GB and RMB300 for 10GB of data.

The SIM card I bought also came with a USB modem but of course once the SIM is cut down you can no longer use the SIM in it so that is a bit of a waste. The only thing that would be better for me would be a SIM that did not charge a minimum each month as some months I am not in China. But overall it is a good plan and very easy to implement.

The card I bought is referred to as 无线上网卡 (wu xian shang wang ka).

Thanks for sharing. This is great to know, but bloody expensive for short-term travelers!

Thank you for the advice. I purchased a 3G iPad this summer. I would like to use the 3G capabilities when I return to China. I have an additional question for you:

What instructions did you follow when you cut down your China Unicom sim card?

I essentially traced around the Micro SIM I already had. I think you could also use the Micro SIM tray from the iPad if you do not have a micro SIM to trace. Then cut it out with scissors . Please note, I did have a little difficulty getting the contacts positioned correctly and recommend you use extreme caution not to ruin the SIM. I first read an article to do it at...

How-To Cut Down and Set-Up a Non-AT&T SIM For Your iPad | Mac|Life

Good luck. Working well once done though. I was told I could roam into Hong Kong but I was there last week and it definitely does not roam into HK.

I just went to Bainahui electronics market in Beijiing, and the minimum for the prepaid card is RMB600. They actually cut the SIM card down for me and when I put 3GNET in all of the APN fields, it worked like a charm. It took a couple minutes for it to register, but besides that no issues whatsoever.

If you walk into the electronics market, pretty much anyone who sees you carrying an ipad will ask you if you want to buy a card, so it is pretty easy to find someone who can help.

Hi guy we already open this subject , as i use my 3G ipad with China Unicom , and same as many i just cut it by my self and work like a charm , i agree the 3G Unicom is really fast … if it’s China they allow to transfer the number i will move my mobile number but poor of me in China it’s not available so i am stick with the terrible network of China Mobile

By the way the APN i enter is :

APN: uninet
Username: *
password:*

* mean blank

Oh!! Why is 3G sim at china too expensive , my 3G sim in Thailand only RMB40 and can use data 1gb , I have plan to guangzhou on September , would like to know is it have wifi at McDonald coffee shop? Or where the place that have wifi?
Thank u

Originally Posted by IpadOne

Hi guy we already open this subject , as i use my 3G ipad with China Unicom , and same as many i just cut it by my self and work like a charm , i agree the 3G Unicom is really fast … if it’s China they allow to transfer the number i will move my mobile number but poor of me in China it’s not available so i am stick with the terrible network of China Mobile

By the way the APN i enter is :

APN: uninet
Username: *
password:*

* mean blank

Hey after 2 months of using my 3G, lastweek, my 3G icon is gone and only full bars chinaunicom and ... I still have 150RMB on my card. I have tried evrything re-input apn, restart my ipad, reset network setting, remove reinsert sim card still no 3g icon and cannot connect to internet outside wifi network.

Anyone can help before i get a new sim card? My sim is 399RMB with usb dongle included at 80rmb per 1gb of data.
Thanks.

Originally Posted by FirstApple

Originally Posted by IpadOne

Hi guy we already open this subject , as i use my 3G ipad with China Unicom , and same as many i just cut it by my self and work like a charm , i agree the 3G Unicom is really fast … if it’s China they allow to transfer the number i will move my mobile number but poor of me in China it’s not available so i am stick with the terrible network of China Mobile

By the way the APN i enter is :

APN: uninet
Username: *
password:*

* mean blank

Hey after 2 months of using my 3G, lastweek, my 3G icon is gone and only full bars chinaunicom and ... I still have 150RMB on my card. I have tried evrything re-input apn, restart my ipad, reset network setting, remove reinsert sim card still no 3g icon and cannot connect to internet outside wifi network.

Anyone can help before i get a new sim card? My sim is 399RMB with usb dongle included at 80rmb per 1gb of data.
Thanks.

Hi no need to put two time same post
i already reply you in the other one

Originally Posted by FirstApple

Originally Posted by IpadOne

Hi guy we already open this subject , as i use my 3G ipad with China Unicom , and same as many i just cut it by my self and work like a charm , i agree the 3G Unicom is really fast … if it’s China they allow to transfer the number i will move my mobile number but poor of me in China it’s not available so i am stick with the terrible network of China Mobile

By the way the APN i enter is :

APN: uninet
Username: *
password:*

* mean blank

Hey after 2 months of using my 3G, lastweek, my 3G icon is gone and only full bars chinaunicom and ... I still have 150RMB on my card. I have tried evrything re-input apn, restart my ipad, reset network setting, remove reinsert sim card still no 3g icon and cannot connect to internet outside wifi network.

Anyone can help before i get a new sim card? My sim is 399RMB with usb dongle included at 80rmb per 1gb of data.
Thanks.

Try putting the following settings:

APN: 3GNET
Username: 3GNET
Password: 3GNET