How much does it cost to keep an ENC Mobile number? Yearly costs, renewals and when the number is cancelled (2026)
For the US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC) bought from LarkSIM, keeping the number means renewing every month: email support before the plan ends and they top up the same plan (30 minutes plus 100 texts) for ¥66–99 a month, about ¥792–1,188 a year. The number is cancelled after 30 days suspended. A direct ENC account has cheaper options (plans from $10 a month and a $3-per-30-days keep-number service), but those are account features this SIM cannot use. This guide works out the cost of both. If you have not bought yet, the case for this SIM: $28 (about ¥199) including the first month, shipped to China and tested before dispatch, and renewed by email without running an ENC account yourself.
On this page
- 1. The short version: this SIM vs a direct ENC account
- 2. How to renew this SIM in 3 steps
- 3. What it costs per year: three cases
- 4. One step that saves money: the ZIP code at activation
- 5. Why buy this SIM from LarkSIM
- 6. If you stop renewing, or forget
- 7. Pick by what matters to you
- 8. FAQ
- 9. Related guides
Official prices and rules follow the ENC Mobile website as of 21 October 2026, and the SIM's rules follow the LarkSIM product page. Yuan figures use about ¥7.1 per US dollar; taxes are whatever the carrier actually charges.
The short version: this SIM vs a direct ENC account
| Item | US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC) | Direct ENC account |
|---|---|---|
| Buying | $28 (about ¥199), including the SIM and the first month's 30 minutes plus 100 texts | Free SIM with free delivery to China; cheapest plan $10 a month (2GB high-speed data, unlimited talk), plus tax |
| Monthly renewal | Email LarkSIM support to top up, ¥66–99 a month including state tax | Renew yourself in the account centre or turn on auto-renew; plans $10–50 a month plus tax |
| Keeping the number without a plan | No separate service; renewing monthly is how you keep it | Keep-number service at $3 per 30 days with 30 minutes and 100 texts, up to 120 days at a time |
| If you do not renew | Cancelled after 30 days suspended | Suspended first, permanently deactivated after 90 consecutive inactive days |
| Paying | Email support; no ENC account login needed | Card, account balance, Alipay or WeChat Pay |
How to renew this SIM in 3 steps
- 1
Email before the plan ends
Write to support@larksim.com with the SIM's US number, plus your order number if you have one. - 2
Support tops up the same plan
The renewal is the same monthly plan, 30 US minutes plus 100 US texts, for ¥66–99 a month depending on the number's state taxes. - 3
Check the number's status
After the renewal, dial 611 from the SIM or call ENC's China line on 400-990-6699 to confirm the number is active.
The safest habit is to put the renewal date in your calendar and email a few days early rather than waiting for a suspension. Once the number is cancelled after 30 days suspended, it cannot be recovered.
What it costs per year: three cases
| Option | Roughly per year | How it adds up |
|---|---|---|
| This SIM, renewed monthly | ¥792–1,188 | 12 months × ¥66–99, state tax included |
| Direct account on the cheapest plan all year | About $120 plus tax (from about ¥850) | $10 × 12 months, with 2GB high-speed data and unlimited talk |
| Direct account cycling 1 month of plan plus 120 days of keep-number | About $54 plus tax (from about ¥380) | $10 + 4 × $3 = $22 every 150 days, about 2.4 cycles a year |
ENC's keep-number service has two limits: it can only start after the current plan ends, and it covers at most 120 days at a time; after 120 days you must renew one full plan cycle before starting it again (ENC FAQ: keep-number service). That is why the third row is the cheapest a direct account can get.
On keep-number cost alone, a direct ENC account is cheaper. The trade-off is that you register and log in to the ENC account to pay, remember to renew a full plan every 120 days, and keep track of rule changes yourself. The LarkSIM SIM costs more for convenience: first month included, tested before dispatch, renewals by email, and Chinese-language support when something goes wrong.
One step that saves money: the ZIP code at activation
ENC says taxes on your bill are calculated from the US ZIP code you enter when activating the number, and changing your billing or mailing address later does not change the rate (ENC FAQ: taxes).
The spread in this SIM's ¥66–99 monthly price is mostly state tax. The ZIP code asked for at activation has nothing to do with your delivery address in China, so pick one in a tax-free or low-tax state; it cannot be changed after activation.
Why buy this SIM from LarkSIM
If what you want is a number that receives codes out of the box and renews by email, without managing a US carrier account, these are the reasons to order here:
- check_circleFirst month included: $28 (about ¥199) covers the first month's 30 US minutes and 100 US texts, so you can receive codes as soon as it is set up.
- check_circleRenew with one email: no ENC account to register or log in to; email support before the plan ends and they top it up.
- check_circleA real carrier number: a T-Mobile +1 mobile number, not VoIP, so it still receives codes when you need to recover an account.
- check_circleTested before dispatch: shipped to your address in China and working after 3 steps and about 5 minutes.
- check_circleNo roaming packs for codes in China: texts arrive over Wi-Fi Calling on Wi-Fi, with no extra roaming charge.
Buy the US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC) now: $28 (about ¥199) including the first month.
If you stop renewing, or forget
- check_circleSuspended for less than 30 days: email support straight away and ask whether it can still be renewed.
- check_circleSuspended for 30 days: the number is cancelled and cannot be recovered, and accounts linked to it stop receiving codes.
- check_circleDone with the number: before you stop renewing, replace it with another number in your Apple ID and any overseas accounts that use it.
Pick by what matters to you
If you are happy to run an ENC account and care most about the yearly cost, the direct keep-number service is cheaper. If you want a US number that works out of the box and renews by email, the US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC) is the easier route: $28 (about ¥199) including the first month's 30 minutes and 100 texts, a real T-Mobile +1 number, shipped to China and tested before dispatch, kept for ¥66–99 a month through support.
Order the US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC) now, note the renewal date when it arrives, and renew on time to keep the number.
FAQ
How much does it cost to keep an ENC number each month?expand_more
Can this SIM use ENC's $3 keep-number service?expand_more
How do I top up or renew ENC?expand_more
How long until an unrenewed ENC number is cancelled?expand_more
Are there ENC discount codes?expand_more
Why do renewal prices differ between people?expand_more
Real +1 number · T-Mobile network · Card checked before dispatch
US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC)
A real US +1 mobile number, not VoIP, delivered as a physical SIM to your address in China. Check the current price, Wi-Fi Calling and keep-number notes on the product page before ordering.