Neil_OZ - Yes, the 5110 is way old-school. No way I will use it in China. I ordered it mostly for a relative, but it seems like he doesn't need it afterall. I use a unlocked tri-band Sony Ericsson T610 myself, so I don't need the phone.

Turned out the UK number is somewhat useful. I went on a short trip to the UK, and I could receive calls for free.

I state that it's a UK number, to let people know it's not a US, France, or whatever number. I think that's semi-useful information.

I didn't know that phone in the U.S are all locked. So when i sent my Sony Ericsson T 610 to my cousin in Vietnam they wasn't able to use it. Do you think if they bring the phone to a phone store, the retailer there will able to unlock it for them? And will it cost a lot to have the phone unlock? thanks a lot

missy - Yes, you can get a phone unlocked basically anywhere in the world. From what I understand, the Sony Ericsson can only be unlocked via a special cable and a computer.

There are many such services in the US too, from a few bucks to $15-20. But you need to send the phone to them. Check ebay.

ChinaTravel, I tried the website of phone rental, but could not open it. Do you have a more updated website?
or information of cell phone rental/purchase in China and Hong Kong.

I don't think you will use the phone very much at all, and are potentially going though time and expense for an unnecessary item. In the first place, you won't be calling anyone locally, as you can't call a restaurant to make reservations, etc. you need to speak a Chinese dialect for that. Secondly, even at good rates you won't be calling international long distance just to chat with people. Most importantly, given the time difference to the US, you won't be making phone calls when you are out and about on your touring during the day, as that will be the late evening or the middle of the night in the US. (Any calls you may need to make will most likely need to be made during the morning or evening when you can reach people during working hours in the US, and that you are better of doing from a land line phone in a hotel using a calling card where connections will be better. ( Reception may be spotty on cell phones in some areas.) Better yet, people who need to reach you can call you directly at the hotel and you will incur no charges at all, either cell phone or calling card. As you are on a tour, you have a set itinerary with hotels and contact numbers. As noted above, the tour probably also has an emergency contact number that you can leave for people in the US if for some reason they cannot reach you at your hotel.

If you have a sim card, you will have a local PRC number and will need to notify people of that number in the US so they can call you on it.

There are many cybercafes in China and your hotels may offer it as well, this is an easy and free way to keep in touch as well.

I have a cell phone that works everywhere (but Japan) and travel frequently to the PRC and elsewhere but can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have needed it for something other than business calls. I don't pay for it either and wouldn't bother to get one if I had to pay for it.

I used a GeoSIM global sim card ( www.geosim.eu or www.globalsimcard.co.uk )in Shanghai in my GSM phone, worked great and called back to the UK and US.

When I got off the plane in Guangzhou a couple of months ago, there were college age chinese kids selling SIM cards at the airport. This was when I got out of the jetway, and before I went through immigration. They said they were 500 minute cards for $20.00 US. I told them I would buy one if they would install it in my phone, and if they would give me change for a US $100 bill in RMB.

I'm sure I could have found a cheaper SIM card and a better exchange rate, but it was nice to have a working phone and some Chinese cash within 5 minutes of getting off the plane. I don't know if I really got 500 minutes, but I never ran out. I was happy with the deal.