# Hong Kong Prepaid SIM Balance Check Codes (2025 Updated)
Hong Kong has one of the most competitive prepaid SIM markets in Asia. Dozens of operators — from major carriers like SmarTone and 3HK to MVNOs like ValueGB and CTExcel — sell prepaid cards aimed at travelers, cross-border commuters, and local users who want flexibility without a monthly contract. The catch is that every operator uses a different USSD short code to check balance, data allowance, and validity. If you have just landed and are staring at a new SIM with no idea how much credit is left, those codes are not always easy to find.
This guide consolidates the balance-check short codes, customer service hotlines, and default validity periods for more than 15 Hong Kong prepaid SIM cards in one place, so you can manage your account without hunting through operator websites.
> **Recency note:** Short codes, validity rules, and customer service numbers change periodically. Operators also occasionally retire or relaunch prepaid brands. Treat the codes below as a starting point and verify directly with your carrier if a code stops working.
## Quick Reference: Hong Kong Prepaid SIM Balance Codes
The table below summarizes the most common balance and number-check codes. Detailed notes for each operator follow.
### 1. ABC Mobile
– **Check account:** `*122*1#`
– **Check your number & balance:** `*122*2#` (delivers an SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 90 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 179179
ABC Mobile is one of the shorter-validity options, suited to brief visits or temporary use.
### 2. 3HK and 3 DIY
– **Check your number & balance:** `##107#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 180 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 1033
3HK’s DIY prepaid line is popular among heavy data users thanks to flexible local and roaming data add-ons.
### 3. Hemat (CSL) Prepaid Card
– **Check your number & balance:** `*101#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 180 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 179179
Hemat runs on CSL infrastructure and shares the 179179 hotline with ABC Mobile.
### 4. China Mobile Peoples (Everyone Card) and Ya Liao Jia (Duck Chat)
– **Activation:** `*103*800#`
– **Check your number & balance:** `*#130#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 180 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 2211 7188
These two brands are both operated by China Mobile Hong Kong and offer a variety of data packages aimed at budget users.
### 5. All-HK Pass (All-HK Pass) and China Travel Pass (China Roam)
– **Check your number & balance:** `*122*77#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 180 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 3177 2898
These cards share infrastructure and a customer service line, making them a good value pick for light users.
### 6. ValueGB
– **Check your number:** `*111*359#`
– **Check local data & balance:** `*121#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 180 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 3177 2898
ValueGB is one of the most affordable MVNO options in Hong Kong. It shares the 3177 2898 hotline with All-HK Pass.
### 7. China Telecom Hong Kong (CTExcel)
– **WeChat Official Account:** China Telecom Hong Kong
– **Check your number & balance:** Text “BILL” to 1745678
– **Default validity:** 180 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 1745678
CTExcel is a strong pick for users who travel frequently between Hong Kong and mainland China, since it supports a mainland China number and a Hong Kong number on the same SIM (one card, two numbers).
### 8. China Unicom Hong Kong (CUniq)
– **Check validity:** `*118*35#`
– **Check local data & balance:** `*118*50#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 30 days / 180 days / 365 days (depends on the plan)
– **Customer service hotline:** 2122 1188
CUniq also supports cross-border use with mainland China number sharing. The 365-day validity option makes it attractive for infrequent travelers who want a card they can keep active for a year.
### 9. Boyuan Telecom (Boyuan Telecom)
– **Check local data & balance:** `*126#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 180 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 2122 1188
### 10. Lacky SIM
– **Check your number:** `*116#`
– **Check local data & balance:** `*116*1#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 1 year / 2 years / 3 years
– **Customer service hotline:** 3188 2226
Lacky SIM’s extended validity (up to 3 years) is ideal for users who visit Hong Kong occasionally and do not want to buy a new card each trip.
### 11. Modern Mobile (Modern Mobile)
– **Check your number:** `*#149*888#`
– **Check local data & balance:** `*#149*9999#` (SMS notification)
– **Default validity:** 30 days / 180 days / 365 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 2150 1512
### 12. Monkey Prepaid Card (Monkey SIM)
– **How to check:** After inserting the card, you receive an SMS with your number. If no SMS arrives, look up your number via the operator’s online query pages by entering the ICCID printed on the SIM.
– **Default validity:** 180 days
Monkey does not use a conventional USSD balance code — instead, account details arrive by SMS automatically upon first insertion.
### 13. MoreBuddy (Public Value Card)
– **How to check your number:** Look up on the official MoreBuddy website
– **Default validity:** 180 days
### 14. Your Prepaid Card
– **Check your number:** `##121#`
– **Request 1 GB of data:** `*101*601*16#`
– **Default validity:** 90 days
Your Prepaid Card is one of the few cards with a 90-day default validity, making it suitable for short-term visitors.
### 15. SmarTone Prepaid Card
– **Check your number:** `*111*359#`
– **Check balance:** `*121#`
– **Default validity:** 180 days
– **Customer service hotline:** 2880 2688
SmarTone is one of Hong Kong’s major carriers and offers reliable network coverage across the territory.
## How to Choose a Hong Kong Prepaid SIM
Picking the right prepaid card depends on how long you are staying, how much data you need, and whether you cross between Hong Kong and mainland China.
### Match validity to your stay
– **Short trips (1–7 days):** ABC Mobile (90-day validity) or Your Prepaid Card (90-day validity) are sufficient. You will not need the longer validity windows, and both are easy to activate.
– **Frequent or long-term visits:** China Unicom Hong Kong (up to 365 days) or Lacky SIM (up to 3 years) keep a number active across multiple trips without monthly top-ups.
### Match data volume to your usage
– **Heavy data users:** 3HK DIY and Ya Liao Jia offer a variety of local and roaming data packages, including high-volume monthly plans.
– **Light users:** ValueGB and All-HK Pass are budget-friendly and adequate for messaging, navigation, and occasional browsing.
### Cross-border use between Hong Kong and mainland China
If you frequently travel between Hong Kong and mainland China, consider China Telecom Hong Kong (CTExcel) or China Unicom Hong Kong (CUniq). Both support a mainland China number alongside the Hong Kong number on a single SIM, and data allowances can be shared across both regions.
### Convenience of balance checks
Most Hong Kong prepaid cards support USSD short codes (`*101#`, `*#130#`, etc.), which return balance information instantly or via SMS. A few operators — notably CTExcel — route balance checks through SMS keywords (“BILL” to 1745678) or WeChat official accounts rather than USSD. After buying a card, dial the check code once to confirm activation and note the returned balance before relying on it.
### Customer service access
When something goes wrong, the fastest path is the operator’s hotline. Two shared hotlines are worth noting:
– **179179** — shared by ABC Mobile and Hemat (CSL).
– **3177 2898** — shared by All-HK Pass and ValueGB.
Both hotlines have relatively quick response times compared to the larger carrier lines.
## Practical Tips for New Prepaid SIM Users
1. **Test the check code immediately after activation.** Dialing the balance code right after inserting the SIM confirms the card is active and tells you your phone number, validity, and remaining credit in one step.
2. **Save the check code in your contacts.** Store the USSD string as a contact so you can recheck balance without looking it up each time.
3. **Track validity, not just balance.** Many prepaid cards expire by date, not by usage. Even with credit remaining, a card past its validity window will stop working. Cards with longer validity (CUniq 365 days, Lacky SIM up to 3 years) reduce this risk.
4. **Keep the ICCID handy.** The ICCID printed on the SIM card is required for online lookups on operators like Monkey and MoreBuddy. Snap a photo of the SIM before inserting it.
5. **Use USSD while still in Hong Kong.** Some USSD codes do not work while roaming in mainland China. Check your balance before leaving Hong Kong if you plan to cross the border.
## Summary
Hong Kong’s prepaid SIM market gives travelers and residents a wide range of choices, but the fragmented balance-check codes make account management harder than it should be. Use the operator list above to find the right USSD code, validity window, and hotline for your card, and dial the check code as soon as you activate a new SIM to confirm everything is working.
If you find that a code has changed or a brand has been discontinued, verify with the carrier directly — short codes and validity rules shift over time, and the most current information always comes from the operator.
