csl. review
Updated September 28, 2026 · NomadCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
csl. sells a prepaid travel pass rather than a subscription, with prices from HKD 29 and coverage across from 40 countries and territories. It suits short trips and long stays alike, with 5G and top-ups, though hotspot sharing is a no.
Key facts
- Best for
- Travellers wanting one prepaid roaming pass with 5G and top-ups across Asia
- Price from
- HK$29↗
- Price per GB from
- $16.80↗
- Countries covered
- from 40↗
- Unlimited data
- No↗
- Hotspot sharing
- No↗
- Reference plan prices
- US and Canada: HK$138 per day pass, 14 x 1GB HK$328; Europe and Middle East including UK and Turkey: HK$138 per day pass, 7 x 1GB HK$238; Japan and Thailand in Main Asia Pacific: HK$88 per day pass, 7 x 3GB HK$338; Mainland China: HK$88; Macau: HK$38; 30-day volume packs 10GB Main Asia Pacific HK$168, 6GB Mainland China and Macau HK$128, 3GB Europe and Americas HK$238↗
- 5G
- Yes↗
- Fair use policy
- Each pass gives 1GB (2GB/3GB on upgraded passes) at full speed per 24 hours, then throughput is capped at 512kbps; volume packs are valid 30 days and unused data is not refunded↗
- Networks
- Advanced Info Service PLC (AIS), Thailand, Bell Mobility, Canada, China Unicom, Chinese Mainland, China Telecom, Chinese Mainland, Companhia de Telecomunicacoes de Macau (CTM), Macao, Globe Telecom, Philippines, KDDI, Japan, Maxis Broadband, Malaysia, MobiFone, Vietnam, Telkomsel, Indonesia, SK Telecom, South Korea, Softbank, Japan, Taiwan Mobile, U Mobile, Malaysia, Viettel, Vietnam↗
- Top-ups
- Yes↗
- Seller type
- Carrier↗
- 10 GB in Japan
- HK$168↗
- Legal entity
- CSL Mobile Limited↗
- Headquarters
- Hong Kong↗
- Founded
- 1980↗
- Support channels
- Phone, Chat, Help-centre↗
- Region
- Global
- Features
- 5G, Carrier plan
- Audience
- Short trips, Long trips
- Official website
- hkcsl.com
Pocket Wi-Fi
- Pickup and delivery
- csl shops and authorised dealer stores↗
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 7 sources
Apps and profiles
Pros and cons
Pros
- 5G is a yes, so supported phones connect on the latest networks
- Top-ups are available, so a long trip can be extended without a new plan
- Coverage of from 40 countries and territories runs above the site median of 74
- A carrier plan sold through csl shops and authorised dealer stores
Cons
- Hotspot sharing is a no, so a laptop or tablet cannot be tethered
- Price per GB from $16.80 sits above the site median of €1.50
- Entry of HKD 29 ranks 92 of 313, so cheaper entry points exist
Who it suits
- Travellers heading to Japan, South Korea, Mainland China or Taiwan, where csl. roams on Advanced Info Service PLC (AIS), Thailand, Bell Mobility, Canada and China Unicom, Chinese Mainland
- Anyone on a longer stay, since top-ups are available and volume packs stay valid
- Travellers budgeting ahead, with prices from HKD 29 and a per-GB figure of $16.80 set before departure
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone planning to tether a laptop or tablet, because hotspot sharing is a no
- Travellers chasing the lowest entry price, since eSIMGo.is starts at $0.99
- Trips built around a single destination, where SimToIsrael is priced from $25
How it compares on our data
On entry price, csl. ranks 92 of 313 brands compared, well behind the €2.87 lower quartile mark. On price per GB it sits at 111 of 115, with $16.80 above the €1.50 site median. Coverage of from 40 countries and territories clears the 74 median, so the strength is reach rather than rate.
How csl. compares
9.0 vs 9.3
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9.0 vs 8.0
9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 9.0
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9.0 vs 8.5
9.0 vs 9.3
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9.0 vs 8.8
9.0 vs 9.2- 9.0 vs 9.6
- 9.0 vs 9.5
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9.0 vs 9.2- 9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 9.1- 9.0 vs 9.1
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9.0 vs 8.8- 9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 8.6
9.0 vs 8.6
Frequently asked questions
How much does a csl. travel pass cost?+
Prices start at HKD 29, and a larger volume pack is listed at HKD 168. That entry price ranks 92 of 313 compared brands, so it is not the cheapest way to begin.
What does the data cost per GB on csl.?+
Price per GB starts at $16.80, above the €1.50 site median. csl. ranks 111 of 115 on this measure, while €0.81 of compared brands come in lower.
How many countries does csl. cover?+
Coverage runs to from 40 countries and territories, well past the 74 site median. Named partners include Advanced Info Service PLC (AIS), Thailand, Bell Mobility, Canada and China Unicom, Chinese Mainland.
Does csl. offer unlimited data?+
Unlimited data is a no, so every pass works to a set allowance. A fair use policy applies, and the included data runs at full speed before throughput slows.
Can I share a csl. SIM as a hotspot?+
Hotspot sharing is a no, so the connection cannot be shared with a laptop or another phone. Plan the allowance around the one device or pick a plan that allows sharing.
Is csl. roaming 5G?+
5G is a yes, so supported phones can connect on 5G networks. Speed still depends on the partner network in each country, and the fair use policy caps throughput once the included data is used.
Who runs csl. and where is it based?+
csl. is run by CSL Mobile Limited, a mobile operator since 1980 based in Hong Kong. It is a carrier, so passes come through csl shops and authorised dealer stores.
How do I get help from csl. while travelling?+
Support runs through phone, chat and help centre, covering a phone line, live chat and a help centre. Because csl. is a carrier rather than an app-only seller, there is also a shop counter for in-person help.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSL_Mobile checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Founded 1980 (first incorporation)”
- hkcsl.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters
“Hong Kong telecommunications and mobile data services | csl”
- hkcsl.com/en/Acceptable-Use-Policies checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Hotspot sharing
“You agree that you must not use or allow the Service or the Equipment to be used: as a host, hub, link, server or gateway unless with our consent”
- hkcsl.com/en/golden-roaming checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Networks
“The mobile network operators participating in this partnership (the Partnership Networks) are listed in alphabetical order below”
- hkcsl.com/en/travel-sim-card checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Seller type, Support channels
“CSL Mobile Limited Hong Kong Mobile Communications Limited”
- hkcsl.com/tc/data-roaming-pass checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Countries covered, Fair use policy, Features, 5G, Price from, 10 GB in Japan, Price per GB from, Reference plan prices, Region, Top-ups, Unlimited data
“Whether it is a short trip or a long journey, csl ensures you can easily stay in touch with family and friends while overseas”
- hkcsl.com/tc/travel-sim-card checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Pickup and delivery
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Related by the facts
csl.
Travellers wanting one prepaid roaming pass with 5G and top-ups across Asia