I would say it is probably a bad idea to get a phone in China if you're planning on bringing it back to Canada. In Canada, Telus and other companies sell phones for really cheap as part of a subscription package, I'm not even sure if you can just get a random phone and get a subscription service independently of that model, you'll have to check with your service provider.

Another thing you'll need to check is whether a phone from China works on the same bands as in Canada. I think tri-band phones work in Canada, but any dual-band phone will definitely not work as neither of the bands on Chinese dual band phones are the same as in Canada. Here are the bandwidths:

* 850 MHz (In the USA and Canada)
* 900 MHz (In Africa, Europe, and many parts of Asia and Latin America)
* 1800 MHz (In Africa, Europe, and Asia and many parts of Latin America)
* 1900 MHz (In the USA and Canada)

Hope that helps!

Wow, thanks, that is really, really helpful. So basically what I'll want to do is get a super cheap phone and a number I can use and then get rid of it (maybe sell it back and recoup a tiny amount of cash) when I go. So my next question is: Where can I get a really cheap phone in Beijing?

Yes there are some service plans that have no contracts and you can buy a cheap phone that is unlocked and comes with a number. www.rangeroamer.com has good service plans that make traveling easier. I would check there anytime you want to travel.