Free 4G SIM cards with unlimited internet for 15/20 days plus free call fees (Taipei area)

Just thought this might be good to share with you guys. I was in the Filipino area around Chungshan North Road (near that Catholic church in the middle of Yuanshan and Minquan MRT stations) and saw a lady offering free SIM cards. She just asked for my APRC (ARC would do as well) and NHI cards, verified them, then she gave me these!

IMAG1939

I thought I was just going to get the T-Mobile but then she gave these all to me. Btw, I already have a Chunghwa SIM card but it didn’t seem to be a problem.

I can’t remember where I saw her exactly, but I think a good landmark would be the EEC Express: No. 39, Section 3, Zhongshan N Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, 10491. You can try to input that in Google Maps to see where it’s located.

Also, the lady has a small sign that says “free 4G SIM.”

Good info. Wonder if it’s the same people that sell in underground Taipei City Mall.

I’m guessing that was more to verify two types of ID and those are easy for visiting workers to have available. Maybe other types of ID would work. What do others think?

If you already have a chunghwa sim in your name and it’s prepaid your new sim from them won’t be activated and you will get a call from her in a few days asking for it back as the phone company here has a regulation one number per foreigner

Unless you have a monthly plan sim with chunghwa then you can activate a prepaid one… strange rule

You used to be able to get fet and Taiwan mobile and tstar sims at those Indonesian Filipino stores but recently they made a new rule and it even says on their posters , foreigners with arc and nhi card ONLY from the following countries.
Vietnam Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, etc…Only sea workers can apply, Western foreigners are not welcome, so I’m surprised she gave them to you.
Chunghwa is the only exception they allow Western foreigners to get those cards.

And yes they require arc and nhi, passport isn’t acceptable.

I know they changed the rule as two months ago I tried 2 or 3 of those stores to get a free sim and was chased away…

Curious as to why they are free?
What benefit does the lady or the SIM card service get in return?
Does she just write down your ARC and NHI number on an application, or scan them through a digital card reader (that reads the chip on NHI card)?

One reason is because it easy to receive free SIM cards in SE Asia so their target customer expects it and they need to be competitive with each other.

Whoa, that sucks if I can’t use them :confused: I remember she asked me if I already have an existing SIM card and I told her it’s Chunghwa. But I didn’t tell her it’s prepaid so, I guess we’ll find out…

She did photograph my APRC and NHI, made me sign on the application forms and took my thumb print. Pretty much the same thing that I had to when I got my Chunghwa SIM from roughly the same location years back.

So would the card be useless even for just purely internet usage? I was hoping to lend them to a couple of friends who’ll be visiting me. I don’t think they’ll need the call/text function, just the free mobile data’s enough for all that.