Panda Mobile (US)
eSIM + PhysicalUS-number MVNO for Chinese in America — student $1 first month, works in China
Best for: Chinese students/workers wanting a US number ready before landing, cheaply for month one.
Overview
Panda Mobile (pandamobile.com) is a US MVNO advertising "the nation's largest 5G network" (consistent with T-Mobile, unnamed officially) with eSIM/physical SIM, no SSN or credit check. Plans Lite $15 / Starter $25 / Unlimited $35 per month; OnePool data shared between US and China (China capped 5GB/mo on promos). WiFi Calling gives free calls/texts while in China; US number issued before arrival. Student verification unlocks $1 first month promos.
Panda Mobile targets Chinese students and workers heading to the US: you get a US number before arrival, bilingual (Mandarin) support including WeChat, no SSN/credit check, no contract. Official plans (2026-09): Lite $15/mo, Starter $25/mo (promo $23.75), Unlimited $35/mo (promo $33.25), Unlimited Plus flash-sale $45/3 months. OnePool data works in both the US and China (China-side capped at 5GB/month during the 3-month promo). WiFi Calling keeps calls/texts free while physically in China; higher plans include free international calls to 229+ countries.
Student route: EDU-email verification via studentoffers.co unlocks Student Starter $15 / Unlimited $25 and a limited-time $1 first month on the top student tier (Instagram/studentoffers promos — confirm at checkout). Referral: $8 per friend, unlimited.
Community single-user hands-on (2026-09, unverified): landing IP in the US on T-Mobile, ~5–10GB free data with the $1 student opening, unlimited SMS/calls for that month; second month reverts to full price — effectively a one-month throwaway. IP quality good (T-Mobile US).
Popular plans
| Plan | Data from | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Plan data | 30 days | US$15/mo |
| Student first month | Tier data | 1 month | US$1 (EDU promo) |
Official site + studentoffers.co (2026-09-25). Student $1 promo is limited-time; verify at checkout.
Pros
- Very cheap first month via student verification
- Free calls/texts in China via WiFi Calling
- Mandarin support incl. WeChat
Things to note
- Second month onwards at full price — throwaway economics
- T-Mobile backing not officially confirmed
- China-side data capped during promos
Key features
- US number before arrival
- No SSN / no credit check
- OnePool data works in US and China
- Student EDU verification promos ($1 first month)