Wow, all this information it's very useful for me, and it looks like the service it's cheaper than what I can get in Mexico, I currently pay about $90 MXN ($8.5) for 10MB of prepaid data. I'll see if I can unlock my phone later today.

My tour includes Shanghai, Beijing, Xian and Hong Kong, I'm sure that the hotels I'm going to stay have wifi, and I'm planning to make most of my calls with VoIP. The service looks cheap enough to buy a SIM card and use it as a backup service.

Thank you very much to everyone for all the useful information and comments.

EDIT: I forgot to ask if I need an adapter for my chargers, It's the same wall plugs that the US ones?

I 've been there in october 2006 . (Beijing, Xian, Guillin, Hangzhou and Shanghai) and found a mix of some US and many European plugs. Always 220 V ! Maybe Hongkong has British plugs (not been there) . It's probably wise to buy a world 'plug'. Please note that calling from China to America or Europe is also expensive with a Chinese SIMcard! Caling from China to Europe with an European SIMcard costs about 1€ / minute. So I did'nt bother buying a Chinese card. Called 12 minutes a week. Wifi is everywhere in citycenters and cheap or free. Boingo has >10000 hotspot in China. (7.95$ /month.) GSM is everywhere, also on the countryside . You will be able to call fom the Great wall. It is generally not appreciated if you call to the Americas in the afternoon (China time) . A majority of the young Chinese speaks English. However be aware of young female students on Nanying Road in Shanghai asking if you want to practice their English.

About wi-fi:
I've only stayed in one Bejing hotel, although a big, expensive one. That one didn't have wi-fi for sure, the only available Internet was an Internet cafeteria (without the coffee) near the reception. But things could change quickly of course. Bejing is certainly a very modern-looking city for sure (e.g. their shopping malls looked decades more modern than any I've seen anywhere). BTW you'll find lots of people speaking English in Beijing, unlike on the countryside. The problem is actually that too many want to speak English with you.. all the time. In any case shopping won't be a problem.

I'll talk with all the pretty girls that want to chat with me
Nanying Road it's part of the Great Wall, isn't it? It's on my schedule.

I'll take advantage of Boingo if I have a chance, I think there is a promotional free month of service right now.

Rafael:

If you have TELMEX's prodigy infinitum at your home or office in Mexico, check out their web page, on the "prodigy movil" section.

They do have a "temporary" promotion where you can ROAM on international sites where AT&T and Boingo wireless services is provided.

So, you may be able to use your same prodigy account in China as well. I have used mine in many countries. works great and no more expenses besides what you already paid in Mexico in your montly bill.

Saludos desde Mexico DF.

febb

Do you have details about using Boingo with a Prodigy Movil user? It's the same as AT&T?
thanks
Rafa

I think he means Nanjing Road of Huangpu District in Shanghai, a commercial pedestrian street.

I go to China (Shanghai and Hong Kong) often. Almost everyone speaks english in HK. In the last three years I have noticed a lot more speak english in Shanghai. There are signs everywhere saying, 'English first'. Nanying road is in Shanghai. Great for getting lots of great stuff cheaply. As far as wifi very little in Shanghai. Your best bet is your hotel. Bring a small router( I use dlink) and connect to hotel wired and then use it as your N800 wireless access point. Some of the english cafes have wireless but its slow and expensive(very relative to local internet cafes). Carry your passport with you at all times. Use only the official gov taxis the rest are rippoffs. Have your hotel write out where you want to go in Chinese and carry your hotel business card with address on it in case you get lost. Have fun. Checkout the Bund area in Shanghai for night life. Have fun.

i am in Beijing now and i'm using n800,if you have any question,please contact me saintthought@gmail.com(gtalk is ok)

Good advice from dan. In addition to what he said about taxis, the hotel I stayed in actually wrote down the number of the taxis they called up for me (there was a nice person outside the door that would wave up a taxi for me whenever I needed one). Then, if I got ripped off by the taxi driver, the hotel would take charge and handle it as they had the number. Got ripped off only once though, and that was not while driving from the hotel - in any case it wasn't too much money.