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

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.

iPad 3G in China

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

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

Try putting the following settings:

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

Hi,

I have tried 3GNET on apn and password but still no 3g icon and can not connect to internet outside wifi. If i have time, i will cut sim adaptor and transfer my sim to viliv ex70.

Thanks.

I got the 64GB WiFi Ipad and a friend of mine wanted to buy it from me.. the problem is I am considering buying the 3G ipad.. but I'm living in Beijing and almost everywhere there is FREE wifi.. Macdonald, Starbucks, most cafe and restaurants.. I was sitting at common area of China Central Mall, my ipad detected at least 3 open WIFI that I can connect to...
The question is other than accessing via 3G and GPS and an additional 3G plan.. there isn't a good enough reason to get the 3G ipad in Beijing... should I or should I not.. confused..

@OP: Awesome, that's really cool. I'm in China as well (Beijing, to be exact) and brought a 3G iPad back from the states.

Is it okay if you give me a link to where you got your card? I can only find ones much more expensive than the prices you listed.

Gratz on your 3G.

It does have a few WiFi spots, but definitely nowhere near as much as certain parts of the US (I don't mean Nowhere, Kansas mind you). As a student, my school's WiFi hasn't been set up yet (we recently changed buildings) so I need 3G, but even with 3G you won't have a connection when you're commuting. I take a bus twice a day to and from school and having a 3G connection would really make the hours pass quicker.

What I'm trying to say is that it depends on your situation. For some people like me, you'll need 3G, but if you only use your iPad at home/work/restaurants with WiFi, you can forgo buying a 3G service. Don't feel like you wasted the cash though cause let me tell you, the extra 130 bucks was well worth it (IMO) for the GPS alone!

Bingo! My 3G sim card is working now. China unicom give me the wrong mobile number so when i check on the net i still have money. They have double check the serial number on my sim card and i am looking on another users sim.
In short i just topped up some cash on my sim and now its working back again.

How do you check your balance online? What credentials do you enter?

Go this website :
ÖùúêèÃøÉÃÓªÒµÌü www.10010.com

Then input your mobile number and password provided by china unicom.
Ask someone to read if you can not understand chinese.

Goodluck!

How do you get the password? Do you have to call china unicom? I don't think i received one when i got my card...

Thanks!

Yeah. The china unicom provide the password for me.

Thank you so much for this info from back in June. I am about to move from Seattle to Beijing and wondered how things are working with China Unicom for 3G? Has your opinion changed since June. Would you recommend buying the 3G iPad for use in China vs the Wifi plus a mifi device?
Many thanks!

I use my iPad every day. For me, the iPad's value would be greatly diminished if I did't have the 3G capabilities. 3G data in China is cheap, fast and extremely reliable. Make sure that you go with China Unicom's data plan. China Mobile uses a much slower technology.