Cheapest Europe/Hong Kong High Data SIM Card

Emerald Owl on 21/06/2019 - 07:26
Last edited 21/06/2019 - 07:30

Hi,

I have a stop over in Hong Kong, then London, then continental Europe, then HK again. Only in Hong Kong for a day at a time but twice at 30 days apart. I am looking for the best value sim with >20gb of data. Preferably unlimited roaming for a month. Don’t care about making calls or texts, just want data.

Problem is if I buy a UK sim, I’m not gonna have internet during the first Hong Kong layover. I’m only in Hong Kong for 9 hours but want to go to the city and will have no idea without google maps!

The fine print of the UK carrier plans is confusing the hell out of me. I see that some have special EU and worldwide roaming limits, so, even unlimited cards in the uk are limited in the EU. Am I right?

Thanks (on Kogan in Australia, trying to avoid $15 a day roaming charge).

Mobile

Comments

  • jjjaar on 21/06/2019 - 07:53
    +2

    Download maps.me and use that while in Hong Kong.

    I travelled to Hong Kong for a week two years ago and didn’t use mobile internet. Wifi is very common (in almost all malls), and maps.me was fantastic for getting around.

    Then once you get to London, go to Three and get their 15gb data only sim which will be usable throughout all of Europe. You can get a higher sim plan, but only 15gb is available in Europe. If you’re spending a while in the UK, then you can get a bigger one and use the difference in the UK. (e.g., get a 20gb one, use 5gb in UK then 15 in Europe).

    Once again wifi in Europe is very common and you might find that you don’t really need a whole 20gb while you’re away from your accomodation. Many restaurants and fast food chains also have wifi so often you can find it in the street.

    • jjjaar on 21/06/2019 - 09:29

      Whoops sorry it was a 12gb offer at three for £20.

      • [Deactivated] on 21/06/2019 - 23:45

        Yep, I got an unlimted data sim from 3 last time I was in the UK. It was like £30 and it worked in HK (and even Australia).

        • jjjaar on 21/06/2019 - 23:47

          Mine expired before I got back to Aus but thanks for the input! Good to know for next time.

    • Emerald Owl on 21/06/2019 - 18:01

      Thanks! Does the gps function of maps.me work in Hong Kong without a local sim card installed or on wifi?

      • jjjaar on 21/06/2019 - 23:42

        Yes the gps function works without data. I was on airplane mode and it worked. I had access to my location and also could get destinations and plan walking journeys.

        I’ve even used it on planes on airplane mode to find out where I am 😂

        It was great at saving things as well and you could organise different types by colour (if you want to do food as pink and sights as yellow for example, though these are already split by icon. Another way I have done it is blue if I haven’t been and red when I have been)

        Download the app now, download your local city and turn your phone off all data (airplane mode, no wifi) to see what it can actually do.

        That is one thing you have to do on Internet is download the maps for the cities or regions you want to go.

  • datafellows on 21/06/2019 - 13:55

    There's heaps public Wi-Fi in hotspots in HK, but you can buy Smartone prepaid SIM card which to my memory was HK$8/hour and HK$24/day unlimited data. Newsstands sell HK$100 recharges etc.

  • wallet72 on 21/06/2019 - 15:17

    if you have 28degrees mastercard you get free access to the Boingo wifi network worldwide. Even if you don't it's cheap to pay for it while you're away too. Hong Kong is blanketed in Boingo access points.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join