internet access in china

[clay dube]

China
Most hotel lobbies and rooms will have free wi-fi internet access. Some restaurants and coffee shops offer it as well. Getting access via your U.S. mobile provider is generally very expensive. The exception is T-Mobile which has free international data on some of its plans. Some may wish to purchase China SIM cards that include phone or data. This is pricey (about $50 for a week). This is done at the airport and requires your phone and passport. It's generally not needed nor recommended.

As you know, China limits what people within "the great firewall" have easy access to. This includes major social media services such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, virtually all Google services (search, email, maps, Google Drive), and many other news sources (e.g., NY Times, Bloomberg) and tools (e.g., Dropbox). Microsoft and Yahoo services (email, search, cloud drives) are generally not blocked.

In order to access otherwise blocked web sites or services, you need to have a VPN (virtual private network) that you turn on before trying to visit the site. It works by routing your search request to a server outside of China and then giving you information from that site through that server. Sometimes even these do not work.

If you plan to use any blocked service, you should download and install your VPN before leaving for China. If you wait until you are in China, you will not be able to find such apps in the Chinese Apple App Store and Google Play (for Android) is blocked. There are many Chinese app stores, but all are prohibited from offering VPN.

There are free VPN. There are paid VPN that offer a free trial (usually a week, which will cover most of our time in China) and you can subscribe to some VPN for just a month. Some VPN are more user friendly than others. I have used three different VPN in China: USC via Cisco AnyConnect; Astrill, and Witopia. All have worked for me and all have sometimes failed. I recommend downloading, installing and trying a VPN before the trip. It's safer to use a VPN even in the U.S. if you access the net via wi-fi at school, the library, coffee shop, or elsewhere. You need to make sure you know how to use it.

Most of you will rely on mobile devices. Most VPN also have desktop applications as well, should you choose to bring a laptop. You are strongly advised not to bring a laptop.

Taiwan
Again, most hotel lobbies and rooms have free wi-fi internet access. Every coffee shop and many restaurants offer it. The same situation applies in terms of using your U.S. carrier or getting a Taiwan SIM card.

Taiwan has no great firewall. You may still wish to use a VPN, however, in order to increase the security of your communication.

 

Of course the same advice applies in China and Taiwan as in the U.S. with regard to using your credit card, etc. online. Check always to see that the site is secure (your browser should show a lock and the web address should begin with https://).

[Gabriel Valdez]

I know that China has their own social networks but do you know if What's Ap or Skype are allowed? Those are my go to when I use free wi-fi for contacts

[Stephanie Kroop]

A co-worker of mine mentioned the platform...WeChat, and that it would need to be downlaoded prior to the visit.

[cgao]

I believe Skype works in China, though it may be unreliable. What'sApp is still blocked. As Stephanie mentioned, WeChat is the main social platform used in China. It offers free chats, calls, video calls, and various other services. 

Having a VPN on your phone would allow you to access the blocked apps/sites. 

[Anthony Rodriguez]

Is there a reason that laptops are strongly discouraged? I have a small netbook I was going to bring. 

[cgao]

It's discouraged for security reasons, though it's entirely up to your own discretion. If you are comfortable with leaving it at the hotel (some may have safes), that's fine. And if not, you'll have to carry it with you. 

[Anthony Rodriguez]

Hello all, please note that many VPN that have worked in China in the past most likley will not now, or see reduced effectivness. After doing some reading and speaking to a friends who traveled there in the last month on business, China instituted a foreign VPN Ban / Crackdown effective March 2018. Please read the article below from Radio Free Asia:

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-to-block-overseas-vpn-services-from-end-of-march-01312018102313.html

and its impact and possible subversions here

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphjennings/2018/04/23/heres-how-to-surf-chinas-internet-freely-despite-the-latest-ban/#229b2b382934

[Gabriel Valdez]

Just going to journal where we: go, see, do and then catch up once in Taiwan and Korea - not going to worry about internet. Btw, I recently created a collaborative Facebook Global Studies / World Cultures group page for brainstorming, resources and the like. You all are invited - 

[Barbara Miller]

I am hoping to communicate with family while I am gone by using WeChat. I understand that it is free, and I suppose I will access it from free wifi in hotel lobbies, etc.  Does anyone have any tips about this social networking site?

[clay dube]

Hi Barbara (and all),
Hope your presentation on Monday went well.
It's a great idea to utilize WeChat to stay in touch with the family you visited. WeChat is by far the most used social media platform in China and it will allow you to make free video/audio calls, share images and more. People use WeChat for many things. Here are three good explainer videos:

Discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF-E841WYe4
NY Times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAesMQ6VtK8
CNN Money https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0vjuwQKb70

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