I read on the U.S. Chengdu Consulate website that to call collect from SW China, dial 10811 and tell the operator you want to make a collect call.

I tried that from my Kunming cell phone and got an error message saying that wasn't a valid number. Does that only work from land lines, or is there now a new number?

Does anybody know of a number to use to make collect calls from a cell phone in Yunnan?

Might be only available from land lines.

Yes, it turns out that the phone number works, but only from land lines.

You can also use your cellphone; however, before you do so, you have to go to the phone company and get the international plan or access. My wife did this for me. Also you can dial 12593 before calling the phone number. It is like a long distance discount rate number.

Might get a Chinese friend to help you if you cannot speak Chinese.