China Mobile's "One Card, Two Numbers" application resumes after being abruptly suspended last year due to alleged fraud risks. The new policy requires an additional monthly fee

China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK) has resumed its "One Card, Two Numbers" service on New Year's Day 2026 after suspending new applications at the end of 2025. The company stated in response to inquiries that the business "has been restored after preliminary adjustments," and customers can visit stores to handle the process. However, the specific reasons for the previous suspension were not detailed, only referred to as "business adjustments," leading to various market speculations. One Year of Use Required to Apply for "One Card, Two Numbers" After the service resumed, CMHK simultaneously implemented a new application policy. According to the new policy, all "One Card, Two Numbers" services require an additional monthly fee of HKD 18. Additionally, customers with a monthly fee below HKD 149 must have been on the network for one year before applying, but no prepayment is required; customers with a monthly fee of HKD 149 or above must prepay between HKD 1,600 and HKD 2,900, depending on the duration on the network, with rebates spread over 11 to 20 installments. Furthermore, the "One Card, Two Numbers" rebate cannot be combined with mobile phone purchase rebates. In other words, if customers have a phone purchase rebate, they must use the service for one year before applying for "One Card, Two Numbers." Hot News: "Money Aunt" applies for listing in Hong Kong; the founder is not actually surnamed Qian; starting from a pork stall in Dongguan, the "franchise model" has created a retail kingdom worth HKD 13 billion. 3 Hong Kong Previously Suspended "One Card, Two Numbers" Service to Combat Online Fraud This is not the first time a telecom operator in Hong Kong has suspended the "One Card, Two Numbers" service. 3 Hong Kong's "International Universal Card," aimed at travelers, received notification from mainland operators at the end of 2023 to suspend the calling and SMS functions of its "One Card, Two Numbers" service to combat online fraud, retaining only data, incoming calls, and SMS reception services. At that time, analysis indicated that the main impact was on older prepaid cards using "virtual mobile numbers," while the paid physical number "One Card, Two Numbers" service was not affected. Hot News: Trump marks one year in office this week; many policies disrupt the world; experts predict "sell-off" transactions in the U.S. will emerge. Store Staff: Related to Real-name Authentication System The reasons for CMHK's service suspension are varied. Some store staff revealed to customers that the suspension was related to issues with the mainland's real-name authentication system; others suggested that mainland numbers were at risk of fraud, prompting the company to suspend the service as a precaution. In response, CMHK only stated "business adjustments" without specifying the exact technical or security reasons. Hot News: Trump ignites chaos globally; beware of a bubble burst in the second year of his term; experts analyze the impact on Hong Kong's stock and property markets. Scholar: Fees Reflect Sharing of "Compliance Costs" Yip Man-hon, deputy director of the Entrepreneurship Incubation Center at St. Francis Xavier University, analyzed that the HKD 18 monthly fee reflects the telecom operator's need to share "compliance costs," including system upgrades and strengthening real-name system regulations. Honorary President of the Hong Kong Information Technology Chamber of Commerce, Fang Baoqiao, also believes that the fee increase may stem from the surge in user demand and pressure on number resource allocation under the development of the Greater Bay Area