REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN)
| Useful things to know: |
| Prefix: |
+886 |
 |
| Money: |
1 Taiwanese Dollar = 0.02527 Euro |
| Electricity: |
110V - 60Hz |
| Time Zone: |
GMT+9.00 |
GSM and 3G Operators
| Chunghwa Telecom |
 |
Prepaid card name: |
Ideal Card |
| Activation fee/credit: |
??? |
| Card validity: |
??? |
| Net frequency: |
GSM 900/1800, W-CDMA 2100 |
| Logo, Net Code: |
CHT TW, 466 92 |
| Coverage: |
GSM-World |
| Prepaid offer: |
click here |
| Latest Update: |
24/02/09 |
| Far EasTone Telecommunications Co Ltd |
 |
Prepaid card name: |
IF |
| Activation fee/credit: |
TW$ 350/??? - € 8.85/??? |
| Card validity: |
6 months |
| Net frequency: |
GSM 900/1800 - W-CDMA 2100 |
| Logo, Net Code: |
Far EasTone, 466 01 |
| Coverage: |
GSM-World |
| Prepaid offer: |
click here |
| Latest Update: |
24/02/09 |
| Taiwan Mobile Co., Ltd (Pacific GSM 1800) |
 |
Prepaid card name: |
Pre-Paid Card |
| Activation fee/credit: |
??? |
| Card validity: |
??? |
| Net frequency: |
GSM 900/1800, W-CDMA 2100 |
| Logo, Net Code: |
Taiwan Mobile, 466 97 |
| Coverage: |
GSM-World |
| Prepaid offer: |
click here |
| Latest Update: |
24/02/09 |
| VIBO Telecom Inc |
 |
Prepaid card name: |
VIBO one card |
| Activation fee/credit: |
??? |
| Card validity: |
??? |
| Net frequency: |
W-CDMA 2100 |
| Logo, Net Code: |
Vibo, 466 89 |
| Coverage: |
GSM-World |
| Prepaid offer: |
click here |
| Latest Update: |
24/02/09 |
KG Telecom and Mobitai
The two operators KG Telecom (GSM 1800, 466 88) and Mobitai (GSM 900, 266 93) have been merget into FarEasTone and Taiwan Mobile.
Buying a prepaid card in Taiwan
Our dear friend Yuri just had a recent experience in Taipei with a Far EasTone prepaid card,
here we publish what he wrote which can be surely helpful for future travellers to Taiwan.
There are several mobile operators in Taiwan. I was able to get prepaid card from FarEastOne, IF card (Yi-Fu card as chinese-speaking people
pronounce them).
I purchased the package in one of mobile phone shops at Chang Chun Road in
Taipei. Initial kit cost was 350 NT$ (rate to USD is about 32 NT$/ 1 US$).
Still do not know how much funds were on balance - there is voice menu
that seems very good, but chinese only... There is requirements to
have 2 IDs to activate card (first was my passport number, second was
embarcation card that was stapled by officer at passport check to a
page with Taiwanese visa). Guys at shop make a copy of both
IDs for the mobile operator. They also filled all forms for us - if you
don't speak Mandarin or Taiwanese, you are out of luck to do it
yourself. Cards was activated in about three hours after purchase
- guys from shop faxed copies of our IDs to a processing center at once.
There is limit for one card/phone number per ID. If you have one card,
you cannot use this IDs to purchase one more (you can purchase it, but
it will be not activated).
Card is valid for a half year after last payment (as I understood from
explanations that was in quite poor English - maybe I misunderstand
something).
Refill cards are about everywhere (I purchased them at 7-Eleven
shops that are everywhere) but I was forced to ask a guy at the hotel
counter to activate it because of chinese-only voice menus.
Can't say anything about tariffs for now - they were for sure way lower
than horrible roaming.... There are several long distance carriers of
course, with different tariffs. I used 002 and 006 prefixes - quality
was the same.
We were in Taipei city only, so we had no problems with coverage, but
our taiwanese partners told us that FET coverage in rural areas is not
so good. Chunghwa have much better countryside coverage.
