Source: How to Get a Foreign Phone Number for Free: Registering and Activating a UK SIM Card Giffgaff
To register on many platforms like TikTok, ChatGPT, Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram in China, you need to bind a phone number. However, domestic phone numbers are restricted and cannot be bound. Therefore, having a foreign phone number can bring a lot of convenience to our cross-border business.
Today, I will introduce a method to obtain a foreign phone number for free.
Giffgaff#
There are many foreign phone numbers available, such as those from the United States, Russia, Singapore, etc. However, these are not the best options because they are relatively expensive and require credit card payments. So today, I will introduce Giffgaff.
Giffgaff is a UK mobile operator that provides phone number services worldwide. Giffgaff's services are very cheap; activation costs only a few pounds, and you can get a globally usable phone number. The biggest highlight is that you don’t have to buy a plan; you can use it with zero monthly fees, as long as you send a text or make a call every six months to keep the number.
If you are only using it to register on some platforms in China, Giffgaff is the best choice. If you plan to go to the UK, purchasing this phone number in advance will also bring more convenience.
Giffgaff's official website is: http://www.giffgaff.com. The link I shared with you is an affiliate link, and if you register through this link, both you and I can receive a £5 credit.
Here are the main reasons I recommend it:
- High cost-performance ratio: No monthly fee is required, you can receive texts for free, just recharge once and send a text every six months to keep the number. It can be used for over 20 years just to receive texts and codes, making it one of the most cost-effective receiving cards in China!
- Security: With a physical card, you don't have to worry about the number being restricted, and you can change the number twice, which is more useful than services like Google Voice that are often restricted.
- Roaming: Supports activation and roaming in mainland China.
- High stability: Unlimited validity, just send a text every six months to keep the number.
- Good compatibility: Supports most overseas apps/banks, such as TikTok/Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/LINE/WhatsApp/Telegram, and can also be used to bind ChatGPT 3.5/4.0, foreign Apple IDs, Amazon, PayPal, OCBC Bank, Swiss Bank, and some newly emerged virtual credit cards, etc.
Registering for Giffgaff#
After entering through the link, you will see the following page:
From this page, you can see that you will receive a £5 credit. Note that if you register directly on the official website, there is no reward; you must be invited to receive it.
Registering for Giffgaff is also very simple; you only need an email and your real address. Note that you need to fill it out in English or Pinyin; do not fill it out randomly, as a physical card will be mailed to you. After receiving the card, there will be an activation code for activation.
After registration, you will receive an email similar to this in your inbox:
Note that the logistics may be slow, and have you noticed? We did not fill in a phone number; how will we receive the goods?
The SIM card may take two weeks or even longer to arrive in China. Since you did not fill in a mobile number, you need to check your community mailbox frequently to see if it has arrived. This mailbox is a real physical mailbox, the kind used for receiving letters, and you need to ensure you can receive it; otherwise, it may get lost.
Activating Giffgaff#
After receiving the card, there is no phone number or login password on the card, only an activation code and a physical card. You need to use this activation code to activate it for use.
Activating Giffgaff is also very simple; just go to the official website's activation page and enter your activation code, following the prompts step by step. If you are only using it to receive texts, do not buy any plans (choose Pay As You Go), and remember to turn off your data to avoid using this card for internet access, as data charges are extremely high.
What should you pay attention to during activation?
- Please prepare a physical credit or debit card from VISA or MasterCard; cards issued in China are also acceptable. UnionPay, JCB, AE, and any virtual credit cards cannot be used.
- The minimum recharge is £10; please ensure your card has enough credit (especially note that PayPal is not supported for the first recharge, but can be used for subsequent recharges).
Once activated, you can start using your Giffgaff number.
This is how to obtain a foreign phone number for free. With Giffgaff, we can easily get a globally usable phone number, bringing convenience to our cross-border business.
Frequently Asked Questions#
Unable to make calls, send texts, or register for software?#
- Incorrect number format. UK phone numbers all start with 07, with a leading 0. However, when adding the international code, it changes to +447; do not omit the plus sign, and remove the 0.
- When receiving verification codes, some websites have fixed +44, and you can try filling in 7 or 07 after that.
- Some software may not succeed in registration using Wi-Fi or VPN; you must register using mobile data. You need to enable mobile data roaming to access the internet.
What is my card number?#
When you first insert the card, you will receive a text message confirming activation, which will include your phone number. You can also log in to the official website to check it later.
What should I pay attention to when using an iPhone?#
It is not recommended to enable iMessage/Facetime features because if you click confirm, Apple will send a text message in the background, resulting in a charge of £0.3.