What Ulink does

Ulink (北京环球友邻科技有限公司, doing business as 环球漫游 / Uroaming) is a Beijing-based travel communications company founded in 2003 that operates the largest outbound WiFi rental service in China, commanding over 50% market share and serving more than 10 million travelers annually across 210+ countries and regions. The company's core product is a portfolio of portable 4G mobile hotspot devices (including the Macaron WiFi sub-brand) that aggregate roaming capacity from international telecom partners such as KDDI (Japan) and Telkomsel (Indonesia), resold on a daily rental basis with deposits ranging from 500-900 yuan and pricing starting from 12.90 yuan/day for Japan unlimited 4G plans.

Underlying technology combines third-party 4G/3G mobile hotspot hardware with software platforms for order management, visa processing (the Qianxiang Cloud / 签享云 big-data automation system), and a mobile app for self-service booking. Distribution is hybrid: physical airport service counters in 20-26+ Chinese cities with 24-hour operations at major gateways (Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun), direct-to-consumer website (vipwifi.com) and WeChat mini-program, and listings across 80%+ of Chinese OTA channels including Ctrip, Tuniu, Mafengwo, Qyer, and CITS.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: per-day WiFi device rentals (usage-based), data plan packages (2GB/day, 5GB/day, unlimited tiers), international SIM card and data card sales (hardware), phone rentals, automated visa processing (professional services fee), destination services including tickets and tours (transaction fees), and an annual Super Member subscription that bundles 12 free WiFi uses with visa discounts. The company has pursued international expansion via overseas subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, and Thailand, and secured co-marketing partnerships with Visa, JAL, Spring Airlines, and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. Strategic investors include Steamboat Ventures (Disney) and NEA, which co-led a USD 10M A+ round in November 2015; 2015 revenue was reported at RMB 24 million.

Name

Ulink

Legal name

北京环球友邻科技有限公司

Website

https://vipwifi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ulink (环球漫游 / Uroaming) is a Beijing-based travel communications company founded in 2003 that rents portable 4G WiFi devices and related connectivity services to Chinese outbound travelers, holding 50%+ of China's outbound WiFi market and serving 10M+ users annually across 210+ countries via airport counters and OTA partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Connectivity Services / Portable WiFi Rental

NAICS

Telecommunications Resellers (517121), Agents for Wireless Telecommunications Services (517122)

akta.pro primary industry

SIM/eSIM, Mobile Connectivity & Student Tech Setup (EDAIANAG)

Keywords

• Portable WiFi rental
• Travel connectivity services
• International roaming devices
• Global WiFi hotspots
• Travel SIM cards

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijin

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. WiFi Device Rental: Daily rental fees for portable WiFi devices with deposit. Pricing varies by destination and plan type. Minimum rental period of 3-5 days.
2. Data Plans and Packages: Sale of data packages with various data caps (2GB/day, 5GB/day, unlimited) for different regions
3. SIM Card Sales: International SIM cards and data cards for travelers visiting various countries
4. Phone Rental: Rental service for international mobile phones for outbound and inbound travelers
5. Visa Services: Global visa application processing services through automated platform
6. Destination Services: Travel-related services including tickets, transfers, tours, and local guides at destinations
7. B2B Enterprise Services: Providing WiFi solutions and precise marketing services for OTA partners and travel agencies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ulink operates under the 环球漫游 (Uroaming) brand and rents portable 4G WiFi hotspot devices, sells international SIM/data cards, and provides automated visa processing and destination concierge services primarily to outbound Chinese travelers. The service spans 210+ countries and regions through roaming partnerships with local telecom operators, with physical pickup/return at 40+ airport counters across China and last-mile delivery via express couriers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Portable WiFi Rental (随身WiFi) Daily rental of portable 4G/LTE WiFi hotspot devices providing high-speed internet connectivity in 210+ countries for international travelers; supports 5–10 simultaneous devices with 8–12 hours of battery.
• International SIM Cards and Data Cards (SIM卡/流量卡)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10 million travelers served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Interpark GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2015Korean online retailer partnership to provide online shopping services for Chinese tourists visiting Korea, part of Uroaming's destination services expansion
• Tuniu (途牛网)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Chinese OTA platform listing WiFi rental services for travelers
• Ctrip (携程)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLargest Chinese OTA providing WiFi rental distribution to customers
• Mafengwo (马蜂窝)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTravel social platform with user-generated content, offering WiFi rental services
• Qyer (穷游网)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBudget travel platform partner distributing WiFi services
• CITS (中国国旅)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor state-owned travel agency chain providing WiFi rental to customers
• Lvmama (驴妈妈)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChinese travel platform partner for WiFi distribution
• UnionPay (银联)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayment network partner for transactions
• VisamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium product partner for 2016, offering WiFi services as benefit for premium cardholders
• JCBminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayment network partner for card transactions
• Japan Airlines (日本航空)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint member events and marketing activities, co-hosting member meetups in Shanghai and Beijing
• Spring Airlines (春秋航空)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor providing flight tickets and prizes for member activities and fan club naming contest
• Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (浦发银行)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint member events with JAL and Uroaming in Shanghai
• KDDIcoreTechnology or IntegrationJapanese telecom operator providing network services for WiFi coverage in Japan
• TelkomselcoreTechnology or IntegrationIndonesian telecom operator providing network services for WiFi coverage in Indonesia
• Fujian Yuanxiang International Airport (元翔福州国际航空港)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAirport operator partnership for WiFi service counters at Fuzhou Airport

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 漫游超人 (Roaming Man): One of the better-known Chinese portable WiFi rental brands competing directly with Ulink for outbound Chinese tourists, with overlapping airport pickup and OTA distribution channels.
• GigSky: Provider of global mobile data plans via SIM and eSIM for travelers and enterprise users, overlapping with Ulink's international data product offerings across multiple regions.
• GlocalMe (uCloudlink): Shenzhen-based uCloudlink operates the GlocalMe portable WiFi/MiFi brand covering 140+ countries, the closest direct global competitor to Ulink in the cross-border travel WiFi rental space.
• Keepgo: Provider of portable MiFi hotspots and prepaid SIM/data solutions for international travelers, operating a comparable hardware-plus-data model in the same niche as Ulink.
• Skyroam: US-based portable WiFi device and global data service provider targeting international travelers, offering comparable MiFi rentals and day-pass data plans across many of the same destinations as Ulink.

Emerging players

• Airalo: Global eSIM marketplace offering destination-specific data packages to travelers; represents the leading software-only alternative to portable WiFi and the most direct structural threat to Ulink's hardware-rental model.
• Flexiroam: Malaysia-based provider of international roaming SIMs and data plans for travelers across Asia-Pacific, comparable to Ulink in serving cross-border travelers with multi-country connectivity.
• SimOptions: Online marketplace for international SIM cards and data plans serving travelers; competes with Ulink's SIM card and data package product line for the same outbound Chinese customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Truphone: UK-based mobile operator offering global roaming SIMs and IoT connectivity; competes in the international connectivity layer but with broader telecom ambitions rather than a travel-focused WiFi rental niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/uroaming
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beijing-btb-wireless-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ulink