China Mobile Prefixes: Carrier Lookup by Number (+86 138, 186, 180)
138/139 = China Mobile, 186/185 = China Unicom, 180/189 = China Telecom. Full prefix lookup table for all 4 carriers including China Broadnet.
China Mobile Prefixes: Carrier Lookup by Number
Complete guide to Chinese mobile number prefixes — identify the carrier by prefix, understand the numbering system, and learn how to dial Chinese mobile numbers from abroad
+86Quick Answer
📡China's Mobile Market Overview
China operates the world's largest mobile telecommunications market. With a population of 1.4 billion and mobile penetration exceeding 120%, China's numbering system uses 3-digit prefixes starting with "1" to identify the original carrier assignment for each mobile number.
All Chinese mobile numbers are 11 digits long and start with the digit "1". The first three digits (1XX) form the carrier prefix, which originally identifies the mobile operator. China's mobile market is dominated by three state-owned giants plus a newer fourth carrier launched in 2022.
📴China Mobile (中国移动)
China Mobile is the world's largest mobile carrier by subscriber count, with approximately 1.009 billion subscribers as of 2025. It commands a dominant 57% share of China's mobile market and operates the world's largest 5G network.
Mobile Prefixes
Prefixes with highlighted borders (195, 197, 198) are 5G-dedicated prefixes.
📡China Unicom (中国联通)
China Unicom is China's second carrier by founding date (1994) and holds approximately 18% of the mobile market with around 330 million subscribers. It was the exclusive iPhone carrier in China when Apple first entered the market and maintains strong urban coverage.
Mobile Prefixes
Prefix 196 is Unicom's 5G-dedicated prefix.
📞China Telecom (中国电信)
China Telecom holds approximately 25% of the mobile market with around 437 million subscribers. Originally focused on fixed-line services, it entered the mobile market in 2008 by acquiring the CDMA network from China Unicom. Founded in 2000, it has become a major player in 5G deployment.
Mobile Prefixes
Prefix 199 is Telecom's 5G-dedicated prefix.
📡China Broadnet (中国广电)
China Broadcasting Network (China Broadnet) is China's fourth mobile carrier, launched commercially in 2022. Created from the national cable television infrastructure, it was granted a mobile telecom license to increase market competition. It operates exclusively on 5G using the valuable 700MHz low-band spectrum, providing wide coverage in rural areas.
China Broadnet uses only the prefix 192. As a 5G-only carrier, it does not support legacy 2G/3G/4G connections. It leverages China Mobile's network infrastructure through a sharing agreement for broader coverage during its initial rollout phase.
🔍Complete Prefix Lookup Table
Below is a comprehensive table of all Chinese mobile prefixes sorted numerically. Rows are color-coded by carrier: red = China Mobile, purple = China Unicom, green = China Telecom, orange = China Broadnet, gray = MVNO. High-search-volume prefixes are highlighted with a stronger background.
| Prefix | Carrier | Network | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 | China Unicom | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 131 | China Unicom | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 132 | China Unicom | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 133 | China Telecom | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 134 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 135 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 136 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 137 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 138 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | High search volume |
| 139 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 145 | China Unicom | Data SIM | |
| 147 | China Mobile | Data SIM | |
| 149 | China Telecom | Data SIM | |
| 150 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 151 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 152 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 153 | China Telecom | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 155 | China Unicom | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 156 | China Unicom | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 157 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 158 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 159 | China Mobile | 2G/3G/4G | |
| 166 | China Unicom | 4G/5G | |
| 167 | China Unicom | 4G | |
| 170 | Virtual Operators | Mixed | Shared by 40+ MVNOs |
| 171 | Virtual Operators | Mixed | Shared by 40+ MVNOs |
| 172 | China Mobile | 4G | |
| 173 | China Telecom | 4G | |
| 175 | China Unicom | 4G | |
| 176 | China Unicom | 4G | |
| 177 | China Telecom | 4G | |
| 178 | China Mobile | 4G | |
| 180 | China Telecom | 3G/4G | High search volume |
| 181 | China Telecom | 3G/4G | |
| 182 | China Mobile | 3G/4G | |
| 183 | China Mobile | 3G/4G | |
| 184 | China Mobile | 3G/4G | |
| 185 | China Unicom | 3G/4G | |
| 186 | China Unicom | 3G/4G | High search volume |
| 187 | China Mobile | 3G/4G | |
| 188 | China Mobile | 3G/4G | |
| 189 | China Telecom | 3G/4G | |
| 190 | China Telecom | 4G/5G | |
| 191 | China Telecom | 4G/5G | |
| 192 | China Broadnet | 5G | 4th carrier, 5G only |
| 193 | China Telecom | 5G | |
| 195 | China Mobile | 5G | 5G dedicated |
| 196 | China Unicom | 5G | 5G dedicated |
| 197 | China Mobile | 5G | 5G dedicated |
| 198 | China Mobile | 5G | 5G dedicated |
| 199 | China Telecom | 5G | 5G dedicated |
Virtual Operators (MVNOs) — Prefixes 170 & 171
Prefixes 170 and 171 are shared by over 40 Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) in China. These companies lease network capacity from the three major carriers and resell mobile services under their own brands.
- •MVNOs include companies like Alibaba (Ali Telecom), JD.com, Xiaomi (Mi Mobile), Snail Mobile, and others
- •Numbers with these prefixes are often associated with prepaid, temporary, or low-cost SIM cards
- •Some services and platforms in China may restrict or flag 170/171 numbers due to higher fraud rates
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Since December 1, 2019, China has allowed nationwide mobile number portability. This means a mobile prefix no longer reliably identifies the current carrier — only the original assignment. For example, a number starting with 186 (originally China Unicom) may now be on China Mobile or China Telecom. During the pilot phase in select provinces, approximately 3.16 million users ported their numbers between carriers. Nationwide adoption has grown significantly since the full launch.
📞How to Call a Chinese Mobile Number
Dialing Format
The full number is 13 digits when dialed internationally: country code (86) + 11-digit mobile number (1XX + 8 digits)
Tip: When dialing from within China, you do not need the country code +86 or any trunk prefix. Simply dial the full 11-digit mobile number directly. All Chinese mobile numbers start with "1" so there is no ambiguity with landline numbers.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
💰Cost to Call Chinese Mobile Numbers
| Service | Rate per Minute | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BubblyPhone | $0.01-0.02/min | Best rates for Chinese mobile numbers |
| AT&T | $3-5/min | Standard international rate |
| Verizon | $2.49-3/min | Without international plan |
| Free | App-to-app only, dominant in China |
Tip: Calling a Chinese mobile number costs the same regardless of which carrier prefix (138, 186, 180, etc.) you are dialing. The rate is determined by the destination country (China), not the specific mobile prefix.
Call Chinese Mobile Numbers for Less
Crystal-clear calls to all Chinese mobile numbers at just $0.01-0.02/min. No contracts, no hidden fees.