China's official English-language guide says foreigners may use a passport to apply for a SIM card at a telecom-operator service outlet. Build at least two layers of connectivity before reaching Jingdezhen.
Choose roaming or a local SIM first
For a one-to-three-day visit with modest data use, ask your home carrier about mainland-China roaming, price and coverage. For a longer stay or frequent navigation, ride-hailing and translation, consider a local SIM. The official guide says a foreigner may take a passport or Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card to service outlets of China Telecom, China Mobile or China Unicom to activate mobile service.
Do not rely on an online offer for an allegedly no-registration local card. At the outlet, confirm validity, data, calls, automatic renewal and hotspot use, and keep the passport spelling consistent. Call ahead to check whether that outlet can process foreign documents.
Complete essential setup on a stable connection
Hotel, station and attraction Wi-Fi may require an SMS or identity check. After arrival, sign in to payment, Railway 12306, maps, ride-hailing and hotel contacts, then save offline maps, Chinese addresses and order screenshots. Enter verification codes, card PINs and payment passwords only in official apps; never give them to a driver, guide or stranger.
Coverage can differ in Gaoling, Yaoli, rural Fuliang and mountain roads. Before a rural departure, save the driver number, hotel address, return time and Chinese destination name offline, and agree a meeting point with companions.
Keep a second route when data fails
Carry a power bank and cable, following airline rules for lithium batteries. Also keep a little RMB cash, the hotel's paper card and important phone numbers. If navigation fails, ask a staffed service desk or established shop instead of standing in a traffic lane using the phone.
Plans and availability are controlled by operators and local conditions. A multilingual guide may help with ordinary communication but cannot bypass real-name SIM registration or request verification codes; contact the platform or carrier directly for account problems.