Eight Telecom discussion thread

[xiaofan]

I used eight/SIMBA/CUniq and giga Travel eSIM roaming during my short visit to China in Dec 2025.

But I also used Wireguard VPN Client (Wireguard VPN server on the home main router -- OpenWRT).

Then for my wife's short visit to China during Chinese New Year 2026, she used eight + Wireguard VPN and no issues.

If VPN is working, then you can use local WiFi or local SIM card which can be much faster.

 

[BBCWatcher]

I only managed to use 13gb during the 10 days trip.

Only an average of 1.3GB of mobile data per day?

Just to put that figure into some perspective, if you listen to a streaming music service such as Spotify for the whole 24 hour day — including time spent sleeping — at a 128 Kb/s bit rate (the maximum Spotify Free uses on desktop), you'd only use slightly more than 1.3GB.

 

[chari-men]

I am using Eight 5G plan and just went China this month without buying additional SIM card. However, I notice that my data connections was not very good at Guangzhou. Not sure if its only me or there is some issue with Eight roaming partners in China. Still hoping that it was only me or maybe coverage in Guangzhou was not that good. I only managed to use 13gb during the 10 days trip.

On an additional note, I also tested using China wifi and the apps can load blazing fast. Even the roaming sim cards I got for my family still work decent.

If I were to guess.. u were using iPhone??

 

[jasonsouza77]

I am using Eight 5G plan and just went China this month without buying additional SIM card. However, I notice that my data connections was not very good at Guangzhou. Not sure if its only me or there is some issue with Eight roaming partners in China. Still hoping that it was only me or maybe coverage in Guangzhou was not that good. I only managed to use 13gb during the 10 days trip.

On an additional note, I also tested using China wifi and the apps can load blazing fast. Even the roaming sim cards I got for my family still work decent.

more importantly what was yr speed while u were in chn? did u run a speedtest while there?

 

[Skypower]

i was in cheng du for >2 weeks recently, I am on Eight mobile 5G plan then, my mobile connection is very very slow. I got a local (Registered in China) SIM mobile plan which is very fast.

btw - you do not need VPN when using mobile data while in China, all data goes thru SGP proxy server.

- you only need to connect to VPN when connected to hotel/cafe's WIFI etc...

 

[xiaofan]

i was in cheng du for >2 weeks recently, I am on Eight mobile 5G plan then, my mobile connection is very very slow. I got a local (Registered in China) SIM mobile plan which is very fast.

btw - you do not need VPN when using mobile data while in China, all data goes thru SGP proxy server.

- you only need to connect to VPN when connected to hotel/cafe's WIFI etc...

Roaming SIM -- no need VPN server to bypass GFW to access Facebook/Youtube/WhatsApp/etc, can be slow at times.

China local SIM, China local Wi-Fi -- faster but need VPN server to bypass GFW to access Facebook/Youtube/WhatsApp/etc.

I used to have a China local SIM under my relative's name. Unfortunately it was no longer working now.

 

[loganrunning]

during several triips this year, my eight and simba roaming performed to expectations. not a gamer, so speed and latency were not an issue. eight's connection via CM was generally better than Simba's CT.

got a replacement local CM sim. nice and fast. interestingly, GFW implementation seems to differ across provinces. In Guizhou, i could use Whatsapp without VPN, just that images/videos were blocked (probably blocked media server).

 

[BBCWatcher]

Eight has updated their roaming partner list. China has indeed changed. Instead of China Mobile as Eight’s sole roaming partner it’s now two roaming partners: China Unicom and China Telecom. Do you see any other changes (versus their January list)?

FWIW SIMBA currently has one roaming partner in China: China Telecom.

 

[loganrunning]

Eight has updated their roaming partner list. China has indeed changed. Instead of China Mobile as Eight’s sole roaming partner it’s now two roaming partners: China Unicom and China Telecom. Do you see any other changes (versus their January list)?

FWIW SIMBA currently has one roaming partner in China: China Telecom.

interesting that they stopped issuing the list in a PDF.

will see how CT/CU roaming on eight performs on my next trip.

 

[xiaofan]

For those who downgrade from 5G to 4G, you may want to take note if your 5G is really cut off immediately or not. My colleague told me he still had 5G access after downgrading to 4G S$8 plan from the 5G S$14.8 plan.

If not, how long does it take for the 5G access to get cut off?

Or you are lucky that they keep your 5G?

 

[moonfalle]

For those who downgrade from 5G to 4G, you may want to take note if your 5G is really cut off immediately or not. My colleague told me he still had 5G access after downgrading to 4G S$8 plan from the 5G S$14.8 plan.

If not, how long does it take for the 5G access to get cut off?

Or you are lucky that they keep your 5G?

I downgraded my plan from 5g to 4g $8. It shows 5g but it's NSA and the speeds are similar with 4g speeds so I guess the 5g status is just for show lol.

 

[xiaofan]

I downgraded my plan from 5g to 4g $8. It shows 5g but it's NSA and the speeds are similar with 4g speeds so I guess the 5g status is just for show lol.

There are some reports that 5G NSA network will be shut down on 31 March 2026. I am not so sure if that will happen or not.

Let's see if you still get 5G on 1 April 2026.

 

[xiaofan]

I downgraded my plan from 5g to 4g $8. It shows 5g but it's NSA and the speeds are similar with 4g speeds so I guess the 5g status is just for show lol.

My colleague still gets 5G SA after the downgrade to 4G S$8 plan.

Maybe you can check again at another place with better connection.

Looks like eight backend may have some software bugs ...

 

[moonfalle]

My colleague still gets 5G SA after the downgrade to 4G S$8 plan.

Maybe you can check again at another place with better connection.

Looks like eight backend may have some software bugs ...

Oh wow. What's his speeds like?

 

[CPTMiller]

My colleague still gets 5G SA after the downgrade to 4G S$8 plan.

Maybe you can check again at another place with better connection.

Looks like eight backend may have some software bugs ...

The Eight 4G speed getting slower and slower nowadays.
Upgrading to 5G may help but I am not sure how often we can get 5G signal

 

[benzene]

Hi All, i try to port out of from Eight to Zym
But Zym send me an sms mentioned is been rejected?
Actually what should i do? And i dont have any outstanding amount.
I send email to Eight already

 

[xiaofan]

Oh wow. What's his speeds like?

Just checked, 300+ Mbps, similar to my StarHub Prepaid 5G SA speed, west area.

 

[Habrosus]

Hi All, i try to port out of from Eight to Zym
But Zym send me an sms mentioned is been rejected?
Actually what should i do? And i dont have any outstanding amount.
I send email to Eight already

Rather than being rejected, I suspect Eight was slow to release the line thus the "rejection".

Don't know what's wrong with Eight's service and help desk lately... Something similar happened to me the other time and I'm already in the midst of porting or terminating my spare lines with them.

 

[Mancunian2]

The Eight 4G speed getting slower and slower nowadays.
Upgrading to 5G may help but I am not sure how often we can get 5G signal

5G is useful when outdoors and inside malls, indoors still have to rely on 4G

Eight 4G is still better (when it is not congested) than circles,
at my regular non-mall supermarket, I can use mobile payments with Eight but not with circles

 

[moonfalle]

Just checked, 300+ Mbps, similar to my StarHub Prepaid 5G SA speed, west area.

I just checked mine again. Getting around 800Mbps on SA. Interesting...