Many users are reporting that Tello is no longer able to be activated directly in mainland China, and using roaming in China for a long period may result in account suspension. In addition, Tello’s prices have gone up and taxes are charged, so it’s not a great deal.

In fact, ENC is a better choice for using a U.S. number and roaming data in China. If you register now with our partner referral code AAK8, you can get $15 in credit (the $15 credit can only be activated with a $15+ plan; you can switch to the $10 plan in the second month for long-term use)

Here’s why:

  • Free SF Express delivery to your home in China, with a physical SIM card, so there’s no need to buy an extra eSIM device
  • You can activate the phone number normally in China and enable U.S. roaming (roaming automatically uses a U.S. IP, which is very clean)
  • The lowest plan is $10 per month, but you can suspend service to keep the number active at the right time. Keep-number service only costs $3 per month, and during that period you can still make and receive calls normally with Wi-Fi Calling
  • International roaming add-on pricing has a relatively low entry point
  • Long-term use in China will not result in account suspension, because many foreign trade professionals use it too!

If needed, you can join the ENC group for advice

ENC Mobile New User Offer

Register for ENC mobile service through our referral link and enter referral code AAK8 to get $15 in free credit. Make sure you enter it in the correct place!

The $15 credit is only available when you activate with a $15+ plan. You can switch to the plan you need in the second month for long-term use.

About ENC Mobile

ENC Mobile is a virtual carrier headquartered in Los Angeles, USA, focused on providing convenient and reliable mobile communication services for overseas Chinese communities. With more than 20 years in the telecom industry and over 1 million users served worldwide, it is trusted by students, Chinese residents, and Chinese companies.

ENC Mobile offers a full range of communication solutions, including local U.S. calling, free U.S.-China international calling, global texting, dual-number service (China and U.S. numbers), and global roaming, helping you stay connected for study, work, and daily life. Their advantages include:

  1. Free shipping between China and the U.S. - can be activated in China and used with Wi-Fi Calling
  2. Number retention service - if you return to China for a holiday, you only need to pay $3/month (30 minutes of calls + 100 texts), without paying the full-plan price
  3. Dual China/U.S. number on one SIM - you can apply for an additional Chinese virtual number to receive SMS from Chinese apps, banks, and more
  4. 24/7 Chinese customer support - support in Mandarin, English, and Cantonese, making communication easier

Activation process:

They are a prepaid carrier, so you need to pay for the monthly fee before using the service. Prepaid is also very convenient, since you don’t need to provide an SSN, address, or anything else—just your name and email!

The detailed steps are as follows

Prices and details for each plan are as follows:

  • The main difference is data. If you only need the number, the cheapest $10 plan is fine and still offers good value!
  • If you want to switch to another plan, just buy a new plan in your account. After the old plan expires, it will automatically switch to the new one.
  • If you are a U.S. student and have a .edu email address, there are additional discount plans. See the next section for our introduction.

Shipping addresses in both China and the U.S. are free

For payment, you can choose WeChat Pay, and Visa offers an extra 20% cashback

Then use our discount code AAK8. Using our referral code can get you $15 in credit, limited to first-time ENC service users.

Student discount policy

For international students coming to the U.S. for the first time, landing without signal or internet can be very inconvenient. Now with ENC, you can get your SIM card as early as possible before coming to the U.S. and activate it online in advance. That way, you won’t be out of touch when you land, which makes things much easier. You can also use the number for opening a bank account, renting housing, and registering apps. If you are a student and register with a .edu email for verification, you can stack the following promotions:

  1. Three-month unlimited plan for $14.99/month, unlimited U.S.-China calls and global texting
  2. Visa partnership: Chinese Visa cardholders who sign up can get 20% cashback
  3. Blogger referral code: [AAK8], and you’ll receive a $15 credit bonus after activation

Application process

  1. Go to the ENC Mobile official website’s banner student promotion page
  2. Choose whether you need a new card or already have one
  3. Select a plan (all promotional plans are priced the same, so choosing the unlimited plan with the most data is the best value)
  4. Fill in your information; a U.S. .edu email address is required
  5. Complete the purchase and wait for shipping or activation

After three months, the pricing will be the same as introduced above, so you can choose based on your usage.

Activation service

After you receive the SIM card, you can activate it online directly in both China and the U.S. The steps are as follows:

For Wi-Fi Calling, you need to enter a U.S. address. You can use a friend’s address, your school’s address, or, if necessary, search for a local address.

China virtual number

As mentioned above, ENC can activate a Chinese virtual number for receiving all kinds of SMS messages. You need to enable it in your account and upload real-name verification materials. For details, see this article:

Using ENC in China

If you stay in China for a long time or return home temporarily, you can use their Wi-Fi Calling to make calls and receive texts, all for free!

Of course, you can also buy an international roaming add-on directly

$3 keep-number service

Another advantage of ENC is that you can choose an ultra-low-cost keep-number option. Keep-number service only costs $3 per month, and during the service period the U.S. phone card can still be used. Every 30 days, you can make and receive 30 minutes of calls and send/receive 100 texts for free; beyond that limit, calls and texts will no longer be available. Note that each keep-number service term can be selected for up to 120 days. After it expires, if you want to continue keeping the number, you need to first subscribe to a main plan and then activate the keep-number service again.

This number-retention option can be used when you go back to China during summer or winter break, making it much cheaper. During the number-retention period, you can also use Wi-Fi Calling outside the US, and calling and texting remain free

Questions

If you have any questions about this mobile SIM card, you can also join our inquiry group. ENC's customer service has already joined. If the QR code has expired, you can add the Meika 101 assistant (WeChat ID: uscards101) and ask them to help get you into the group.

ENC Mobile New Customer Offer

Now, if you sign up for ENC mobile phone service through our referral link and enter referral code AAK8, you can get $15 in free mobile credit.

$15+ plans are required to activate the $15 bonus credit, and you can switch to the plan you need in the second month for long-term use.