Enquiry of FREE incoming calls on China

by David
(China )

Just an enquiry. I understand now incoming calls on China mobile numbers are FREE!

However, it seems that whenever i replenish 100 yuan, it is used up in 2-3 days time!!
VERY EXPENSIVE to my understanding even if there is no international incoming and outgoing calls.

I would like to know how to get FREE Incoming Calls (local area, local long distance, international) on a China Mobile number.

For example,
1. If I call from Hubei to Guangzhou or from any area in China, is the incoming call FREE? if not, how can I obtain FREE local long distance incoming calls? What other options are available to me?

2. If I call from within the local area/province eg, Guangzhou or within Guangdong Province, is the incoming call FREE? How do they differentiate between province or area? How can one enable it?

3. If I call from overseas from USA, will the incoming international call be FREE? What options are available?

Please find my answers below:
1. It depends where your China number was issued and where (your physical locations) you receive the calls. If your China sim card was issued from Guangzhou, China Mobile, when you are in Guangzhou, all incoming calls are free. But if you are in Hubei, the incoming calls are not free.

Solutions: If you always stay in Hubei, for example, you may buy a local sim card and activate free incoming calls in Hubei. If you travel around, you may buy a China 3G SIM card from China Mobile or China Unicom (if you still use 2G mobile phone, it is fine). Then, all incoming calls are free when you are in mainland China. But the 3G card has a monthly charge around 100RMB including some free minutes plus incoming calls free.

2. If I call from within the local area/province eg, Guangzhou or within Guangdong Province, is the incoming call FREE? How do they differentiate between province or area? How can one enable it?

If the sim card was issued from Guangzhou, all incoming calls should be free when you are in Guangzhou or within Guangdong Province. You can call 10086 (press 2 or 3 for English operator) to verify your number when you are in Guangzhou.

3. If I call from overseas from USA, will the incoming international call be FREE? What options are available?

Incoming call free refers to all incoming calls including the incoming international call.