[This article is reposted from KUKU's blog: US Credit Card Guide]

For activation while in China, see:

Reader Cpuer shared RedPocket, a US mobile carrier that looks quite solid. It includes 200 minutes of free international calling each month, making it one option for keeping a US number active while abroad and calling China.

[Updated 2025.7] The price has gone up. It is now a $5 SIM, but it is still a good option.

About RedPocket

RedPocket was founded in 2006 and is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), essentially a reseller carrier focused on low-cost cell phone plans. In recent years, it has also acquired two budget MVNOs: FreedomPop and Unreal Mobile. Its network coverage is fairly good (for example, GSMA on AT&T):

Two especially important points: all of its plans support the following:

  • Wi-Fi calling. Even if you are outside the US, using a phone that supports Wi-Fi calling is effectively the same as using it within the US for calls and texts.
  • Free international calling. Even if you are outside the US, you can still make free international calls with a phone that supports Wi-Fi calling.
  • Caller ID. It is enabled by default and can be turned off. Some banks only accept numbers with caller ID, such as Chase, YMMV.

In this article, we will focus only on RedPocket's cheapest plan: the $30 annual Phone Plan.

Who this plan is good for

This plan works both for keeping a number active and for long-term use, depending on your needs. Here are a few examples:

  • People living in China who have US-related needs but do not need long phone calls
  • People in China who need both US services and services in other countries or regions, such as Hong Kong
  • People returning to China who need to keep a US number and occasionally call the US
  • People in the US who occasionally need to call family in China or other countries
  • Others

About the Phone Plan

eBay supports direct shipping to China, with shipping costing about $17.9.

Plan features (included each month):

  • 200 minutes of international calling (outside the US, Wi-Fi calling is required)
  • 1000 free US text messages (outside the US, Wi-Fi calling is required)
  • 200MB of US data (for use within the US only)

Activation

Activation page: https://kash.ly/nXiYa

  • Number porting is supported. Porting in is recommended, since many of RedPocket's own numbers are heavily recycled, and porting can help you avoid a lot of spam and robocalls.
  • Activation outside the US is supported, including in China

After activation, you can see this page:

And your remaining plan balance:

For most people, 200 minutes is enough. After that, you can pay and renew within the app.

Note: Wi-Fi calling needs to be enabled by contacting customer service via Live Chat on the website.

Free international calling

This RedPocket plan includes 200 minutes of free international calling each month. Note that if you are outside the US, you must use Wi-Fi calling.

Official explanation of this benefit:

It currently supports 185+ countries and regions.

List of supported countries/regions and the monthly maximum calling time:

For example, here are the limits for several regions in China. Calls to Taiwan are limited to 87 minutes per month.

How to make an international call

The official site explains:

  • Dial 011 + country/region code + the recipient's phone number
  • If the call does not go through, follow the table below and dial the Access code first

Other US SIM cards

We have also covered several other US SIM card options on this site. You can choose based on your own needs: