City in Tibet, China
Internet in Lhasa: speed, SIM cards and coworking
Is the internet good in Lhasa?
Median fixed broadband in China is 238 Mbps and mobile is 176 Mbps (Speedtest Global Index, 2026-08). Hotel and café wifi works but is filtered and often needs a Chinese phone number; foreign apps are blocked without a roaming SIM or VPN.
Getting online in Lhasa
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Home fibre | Fibre exists in apartments, but visitors rarely rent; hotel wifi is the norm. |
| Cafés and coworking | Hotel and café wifi works but is filtered and often needs a Chinese phone number; foreign apps are blocked without a roaming SIM or VPN. |
| Outages | Occasional regional restrictions during sensitive dates |
| Tourist SIM | Airport counters sell local SIMs with passport registration; a roaming SIM or travel eSIM bought abroad is simpler and avoids blocked sites. |
| eSIM | Local carriers sell eSIMs to visitors. |
| Carriers | China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom |
| Monthly data plan | ¥30–100 ($4.5–14.9) |
| Blocked services | Google (Search, Gmail, Maps), WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, ChatGPT and many foreign news sites are blocked. VPNs are unauthorized but widely used; install one before arrival. Roaming SIMs and travel eSIMs usually bypass the blocks. |
Coworking in Lhasa
There's no dedicated coworking scene here; people work from cafés and accommodation.
Internet speeds in East Asia
National medians, Speedtest Global Index.
| Country | Fixed | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | 362 Mbps | 89 Mbps |
| Macau | 322 Mbps | — |
| Taiwan | 298 Mbps | 111 Mbps |
| South Korea | 251 Mbps | 251 Mbps |
| China | 238 Mbps | 176 Mbps |
| Japan | 234 Mbps | 66 Mbps |
| Mongolia | 86 Mbps | — |
Quick answers
Is the internet fast in Lhasa?
Median fixed broadband in China is 238 Mbps and mobile is 176 Mbps (Speedtest Global Index, 2026-08). Hotel and café wifi works but is filtered and often needs a Chinese phone number; foreign apps are blocked without a roaming SIM or VPN.
Which SIM card should I get in Lhasa?
Airport counters sell local SIMs with passport registration; a roaming SIM or travel eSIM bought abroad is simpler and avoids blocked sites.
Can I use an eSIM in China?
Yes. Local carriers sell eSIMs to visitors, and travel eSIMs work too.
More about Lhasa
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Sources
- Speedtest Global Index: China
- China Mobile
- China Unicom
- China Telecom
- National Immigration Administration
- China Railway 12306
Speeds are medians from Ookla's Speedtest Global Index, cited for reference. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.