Moldtelecom
eSIMMoldova's largest carrier — a €0.4/year-to-keep EU-adjacent number, no ID required
Best for: Extreme-budget keep-alive users: a working roaming number in China for under ¥1/year after entry.
Overview
Moldtelecom is Moldova's oldest and largest telecom operator. Its eSIM plan costs 40 MDL (~¥17) upfront and ships a Moldovan number that roams in mainland China with free SMS receiving for 6 months plus a 6-month grace period. Keep the number alive with a 1 MDL top-up every 6 months — roughly ¥0.82/year. No real-name registration; Visa/Mastercard payment.
Moldtelecom's eSIM is the cheapest documented keep-alive number in this catalogue: the entry eSIM plan costs 40 MDL (~¥17.35), paid with a Visa or Mastercard, and the number works in mainland China right after activation — receiving SMS is free, though calls and outgoing SMS are not supported on the default balance (further top-up required even to test).
Validity: 6 months after activation plus a 6-month grace period during which the number can still receive SMS and dial special numbers (200/300/700) and 112; after the grace period the number is recycled.
Keep-alive: 1 MDL minimum top-up every 6 months — about ¥0.82 per year, the lowest recurring cost reviewed on this site.
Purchase flow (2025-09 source review): pick the eSIM plan on the official site, verify by email code, choose a number (with an 'other numbers' reshuffle option), skip optional add-on packs, pay by card; activation completes in about a minute and three emails arrive (invoice, number info, eSIM QR code). Works on native-eSIM phones via the QR code, or via eSIM-chip readers like Xesim on ordinary phones.
Caveats: no calls/outgoing SMS in China roaming per the source test; Moldova is outside the EU so this is not an EU number for regulatory purposes; and the storefront is Moldovan — expect a mostly non-English checkout.
Popular plans
| Plan | Data from | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| eSIM simple plan | Pay per use | 6 months + 6-month grace; 1 MDL top-up renews 6 months | 40 MDL (~¥17.35) |
Pricing per Moldtelecom official site as tested 2025-09; keep-alive math: 1 MDL per 6 months ≈ ¥0.82/year.
Pros
- Lowest yearly keep-alive cost catalogued (~¥0.82/year)
- No real-name ID; email-code verification only
- Free SMS receiving in China roaming, 12 usable months per cycle
- Number picker with reshuffle at checkout
Things to note
- No calls or outgoing SMS in China roaming on default balance (source test)
- Moldovan storefront, largely non-English checkout
- Moldova is outside the EU — not an EU number
- Carrier support practical only via email
Key features
- 40 MDL (~¥17) eSIM with number selection at checkout
- Keep-alive: 1 MDL top-up per 6 months (~¥0.82/year)
- Free SMS receiving while roaming in mainland China
- No real-name registration; 6-month grace period