Travel SIM Card for USA or Other Countries Purchase in Advance

Found this shop where you can purchase phone SIM cards before departing for USA and it will be ready to use when you land. They are an authorized distributor for T-Mobile which is one of the largest phone service providers in USA. Prices are quite reasonable.

An example basic plan: NT$1300 per month unlimited data plus 100 minutes talk.

Name of shop is “Tphone” located at No. 225-1, Section 3, Zhongxiao E Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106, tphoneusa.com.

Note: SIM card takes 3 days to activate so better to purchase at least 3 days in advance of travel and then specify the date that you want it to start.

Thank you for that information. This should be pinned down or something.

I was wondering whether there was a service like this since we have so many cards on sale here for Japan. Glad to hear there is.

i’ve used ready sim (recently renamed to something else but you can look it up). they’ll mail the sim card to your address in taiwan.

Aw man, could’ve used this info about a month ago before I left for the states.

Nonetheless, good to know and this should definitely be included in one of those pinned posts Hannes!

1300NT is about the price for that plan if you buy from the TMO store in the states.

I’m curious, if it’s an official T-mobile SIM card, how could it take 3 days to activate? Or do you mean UP TO 3 days?

In my experience, when I landed in SFO (from TPE), I plugged in the SIM card and called the 800 number on the back. After going through the processes to activate the card, customer service said it would take up to 3 hours to activate, but it only took 5 mins.

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Update: Used the SIM card in the USA for two months. It was simple to add an additional month online and pay with credit card. It was already activated and working as soon as plane landed in USA.

No need to do anything or call anyone for activation.

I found a place called AeroBile located near Taipei Main Train station that has travel SIM cards for almost anywhere in the world. My friend just used one from here last month in USA and Canada and it worked great. It was T-Mobile in USA. Only a simple ID but not necessarily needed. Here’s the info.

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I recently purchased a data SIM from Aerobile for Europe region good for one month and 5Gb for NT$1099. Many options available around the world. Location near Taipei Main Station 翔翼通訊-出國上網卡租售、分享器出租、旅行用品專賣店
100, Taipei City, Zhongzheng District, Guanqian Road, 6號9樓之1
https://goo.gl/maps/Q4vXw2kDgtP2

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Guys CHT has an offer of like 200 NTD for 10 days in US or abroad. Check it out, might be convenient.

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Yea, all the big companies have a similar special right now. Thought it was only for Asia but not sure.

Trip report, It worked great. Used it for a month and added data one time easy to do online.

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Not sure if this is dumb question: I’ve got some two-factor authentication things set up. If I get one of these travel SIM cards and put it in my iPhone, that changes my phone number, right? So those two-factor processes won’t work anymore?

Good question. I’ve never had a problem but not sure I have any two-factor authentication. I have at least one bank that maybe has it.

Part of what confuses me is the way Apple-iOS blends together text messages with the iOS Messages system. When I’m getting those authentication messages, I’m never sure what’s coming through my email address (so the SIM card presumably doesn’t matter), and what’s coming through my phone number (for which the SIM card presumably does matter).

Or with these travel SIM cards, do you keep the same phone number? I’ve always assumed it’s a different phone number, but maybe I’ve got that wrong.

Picked up another one for Europe trip.

  • 4.5Gb discount to NT$999 from NT$1049 reloadable
  • They also have shop at Taoyuan airport.

Just provide basic data on this form, pay, walk out. No ID info requested.

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Can you get a SIM from UK on a prepaid plan for just basic call and text?
Any idea if it would work in Taiwan to receive texts?

You can get a prepaid UK sim with call and or text and or data.

Don’t know if it would work in Taiwan at all or without going to UK first.

Aerobile, very happy with this company and have used them multiple times in North America and Europe.

SIM card for USA and Canada

  • unlimited data and calls for NTD$1249
  • 28 days
  • can renew monthly online
  • works immediately upon landing

SIM cards

  • also available for Europe, Australia, etc. and even Russia

Pop it into my dual SIM card phone so still have access to my Taiwan number.

Aerobile 翔翼通訊

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