Internet and phone setup
A Shenzhen setup is useful only if your phone and your home network work.
Your phone number affects app registration, delivery, transport, payments, appointments, and identity verification. Your home network affects every video call, every upload, every supplier message, and every minute of every working day. Both are worth getting right the first time.
Who it is for
- Remote workers and founders running a home office from a Shenzhen apartment.
- Operators and executives moving into a new apartment who want one engagement instead of five appointments.
- Visitors staying one month or more who need a real Chinese mobile number and reliable connectivity.
- Households where two adults work, one or both on video calls, and a janky router is not acceptable.
- Anyone who has read enough about Chinese internet to know they want professional help rather than guesswork.
What you get
A managed setup covering both phone and home network, start to finish.
- China Mobile or China Telecom SIM with real-name registration handled at a flagship store.
- Mobile plan selection: data tier, international roaming if needed, and a backup mobile failover SIM on a different carrier.
- China Telecom or China Unicom fibre line, 500M to 1G, ordered under your passport, installation scheduled and attended.
- Enterprise dual-WAN router (Ubiquiti UniFi, Synology, GL.iNet or equivalent enterprise-grade hardware) selected for your apartment size, configured with sensible defaults: firewall rules, guest network, IoT VLAN, and mobile failover.
- Wi-Fi 6 mesh covering every room, tested with a signal meter, no dead zones.
- Mobile failover: when the fibre line drops, the router fails over to a backup 4G/5G SIM automatically, so your video call does not.
- Network segmentation for IoT devices (smart locks, lights, cameras, vacuum, fridge) on a separate VLAN from your work laptops.
- 30-day post-install support: any connectivity issue, you message us, we troubleshoot.
We never name, configure, recommend, or install any tool whose purpose is to bypass Chinese network regulations. Our scope is enterprise home networking and mobile resilience.
How it works
A five-step process with a clear handover at the end.
- Intake call (Day 0, 30 minutes). We map your apartment (square metres, floors, walls, where the modem entry point is), your work pattern (video calls, uploads, gaming, kids, IoT), and your phone needs (single SIM, family plan, international roaming). You receive a written quote within 24 hours.
- Hardware spec and order (Day 1–3). We send a written hardware spec (router, mesh, SIM plan, fibre tier) with prices and rationale for each line. You approve. Hardware is ordered to your apartment or our depot.
- Fibre order and SIM activation (Day 2–7). We order the fibre line under your passport and book installation. SIM is activated at a flagship store with you present (real-name registration is a legal requirement and must be done with your face and ID).
- Install day (Day 7–10). China Telecom or China Unicom installs the fibre. We attend. We then configure the router, mesh, failover SIM, IoT segmentation, and run a speed test in every room. You sign off on the handover.
- 30-day support window (Day 10–40). Any connectivity issue, you message us. We troubleshoot remotely first, on-site if needed.
Pricing
All prices in USD. Hardware is pass-through, with receipts.
| Package | Scope | Service fee (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 1-bed or studio, single router, mesh node, basic config | $300 |
| Plus | 2–3 bed apartment, dual-WAN router, 2–3 mesh nodes, IoT segmentation | $500 |
| Premium | 4-bed or multi-floor, full enterprise stack, failover, segmentation, 60-day support | $900 |
| SIM and mobile plan only | Activation, registration, plan setup, no fibre | $150 |
| Fibre installation coordination only | No hardware, no config | $200 |
Typical hardware pass-through:
| Item | Spec | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise dual-WAN router | UniFi, Synology, GL.iNet equivalent | $200–500 |
| Wi-Fi 6 mesh nodes | 2–4 nodes depending on apartment | $200–600 |
| Failover SIM and modem | Backup 4G/5G with antenna | $80–200 |
| IoT VLAN switch (if needed) | Managed PoE for cameras | $100–250 |
| Cabling and small parts | CAT6, brackets, PoE injectors | $30–80 |
Monthly fibre is paid directly by you to China Telecom or China Unicom. Typical pricing: 500M at RMB 100–150/month (~US$14–21), 1G at RMB 180–250/month (~US$25–35).
Sample timeline
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Day 0 | Intake call. Apartment mapped. Quote sent. |
| Day 1 | Hardware spec delivered. You approve. |
| Day 2 | Hardware ordered. Fibre order placed with China Telecom or China Unicom. |
| Day 3 | SIM activation appointment at flagship store. Real-name registration completed. |
| Day 5 | Hardware delivered. Bench-configured before install. |
| Day 7 | Fibre installation day. Operator on-site. Router, mesh, failover all installed. |
| Day 8 | Speed test in every room. IoT devices added to segmented VLAN. Sign-off. |
| Day 9–38 | 30-day support window open. |
Case studies
US founder, 3-bed Shekou apartment
A US founder relocated for a 12-month hardware build and moved into a 3-bedroom Shekou apartment with concrete internal walls. The previous tenant had left a consumer mesh that struggled to cover the second bedroom and dropped every time the microwave ran.
We specced a Ubiquiti UniFi dual-WAN setup with three Wi-Fi 6 access points, ordered 1G fibre from China Telecom, and added a failover SIM on China Unicom for the days the fibre flaps. IoT segmentation went on its own VLAN for the smart lock, the robot vacuum, and the air purifiers.
Install day was 4 hours total: 90 minutes for the China Telecom fibre crew, 2.5 hours for our operator to mount the access points, run cables along the existing skirting, and configure the router. Speed test came in at 940/940 Mbps wired and 680/620 Mbps in the master bedroom on Wi-Fi 6. He has not had a video-call dropout in the 9 months since.
Returning Chinese family, Futian high-floor apartment
A returning Chinese family relocated from Singapore into a 4-bedroom Futian apartment on the 38th floor. Two parents working remotely on video calls in different rooms, two children doing online tutoring, plus a smart-home setup the family wanted to keep running.
We installed a Synology dual-WAN router with four Wi-Fi 6 mesh nodes, segmented the smart-home devices onto their own VLAN (so the kids’ tablets could not see the smart locks), and configured QoS so video calls always took priority over file downloads. China Telecom 1G fibre, China Mobile failover SIM with an external antenna mounted on the balcony.
The unlock for the parents was the failover. Twice in the first month, the building’s fibre had a 20-minute outage; the router transparently failed over to mobile and they finished their calls without knowing the wired line was down. Both parents extended Concierge for ongoing support.
What is NOT included
- Any tool that bypasses Chinese network regulations. We do not install, recommend, configure, or discuss such tools as part of this service.
- Your employer’s enterprise security stack (corporate VPN client provisioned by your IT team, MDM, etc.). We will leave a port and a VLAN open for it; the rest is between you and your IT team.
- Hardware failures past 30 days. Your manufacturer warranty applies.
- In-apartment cabling that requires drilling into the apartment structure beyond simple surface-mount. If the apartment needs real cabling work, we quote separately.
- Smart-home device shopping. We integrate what you already own onto the segmented VLAN; we do not procure smart-home devices as part of this engagement.
- Television, IPTV, or streaming-service setup. Separate add-on if requested.
Refund policy
- Before kickoff: full refund.
- Within 48 hours of kickoff: 80% refund of service fee.
- After hardware is ordered or installation is scheduled: service fee prorated against milestones; hardware refund follows the seller’s return policy.
- After install day: no refund of service fee. 30-day support window applies as warranty.
- All refunds processed within 10 business days in the original currency.
Add-ons
| Add-on | Scope | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Extra mesh node | Add coverage to a difficult room | $80–200 (pass-through) |
| Cabled access point | Hardwired AP for an office | $100 service + hardware |
| IPTV / streaming-box setup | Configure on segmented VLAN | $150 |
| Office uplift | Wired desk, dual-screen, ergonomic check | $250 |
| Extended 60-day support | Doubled support window | +$200 |
| Concierge tier | Ongoing monthly support | from $500/month |
Next step
Book a 30-minute intake call with the apartment floor plan if you have one. Within 24 hours you have a written quote, a hardware spec, and a proposed install date. If you are moving in next week, say so on the form. We can compress to 5 working days when needed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Internet and Phone Setup cost?
Service fee from US$300 for a standard single-apartment setup. Larger apartments, multi-floor mesh, or full IoT segmentation: US$500–900. Hardware is pass-through and varies by spec. A typical enterprise dual-WAN router plus Wi-Fi 6 mesh runs US$400–1,500. Monthly fibre is paid by you directly to China Telecom or China Unicom and runs RMB 100–250/month (about US$14–35).
What is your refund policy?
Full refund before kickoff. 80% refund within 48 hours of kickoff. After hardware is purchased or installation is scheduled, hardware is non-refundable and service fee is prorated. Unopened hardware can be returned to the seller per their policy.
What is the timeline?
5–10 business days from intake to fully working setup. Fibre installation is the slowest step (China Telecom or China Unicom typically schedule within 3–7 days of order).
Why an enterprise router instead of the one my ISP gives me?
ISP-provided routers are functional but limited. An enterprise dual-WAN router gives you a second internet path (fibre + mobile failover), proper firewall rules, VLAN segmentation for IoT devices, and the ability to run a stable mesh across a multi-room or multi-floor apartment without dead zones. For anyone running a home office, the upgrade pays for itself within a month of avoided downtime.
What is NOT included?
We do not configure or recommend any service that bypasses Chinese network regulations. We do not install consumer-grade VPN software. We do not handle your work laptop's enterprise security configuration. We do not service hardware failures past 30 days (your manufacturer warranty applies).
Do you handle the China Telecom paperwork?
Yes. We coordinate the fibre order under your passport, schedule installation, attend the install with you, and verify the line is working at advertised speed before handover.