China Unicom CUniq SIM cards must be activated in Hong Kong from Aug 2026

Travel data SIMs and eSIMs sold for use in mainland China often route traffic through other countries, a practice known as home‑routed roaming. This can cause slower speeds, AI service blocks and privacy concerns because users' data may be handled by foreign operators rather than the local network.

Starting 1 August 2026, China Unicom’s CUniq prepaid data cards that include mainland‑China roaming will no longer be activatable within the mainland. Customers must complete activation in Hong Kong or other designated overseas locations before crossing the border. The change follows new compliance rules aimed at closing “over‑the‑wall” network loopholes and aligns with similar restrictions already adopted by China Mobile Hong Kong, China Telecom and other providers.