So, about two months ago, I got a prepaid SIM card at a 7-Eleven, because the kiosk at the airport was closed. Now I’ve got no service even with a strong signal. I’m guessing it expired. There were some text messages that might have been warnings, but they didn’t display properly - nothing but a lot of little squares.
I don’t want to mess with a Website in Chinese and my credit card number. I prefer to deal on a cash basis, in person. If I walk into a Seven and find a clerk who knows what I’m talking about, can I renew it with cash? Thanks.
[quote=“rowland”]So, about two months ago, I got a prepaid SIM card at a 7-Eleven, because the kiosk at the airport was closed. Now I’ve got no service even with a strong signal. I’m guessing it expired. There were some text messages that might have been warnings, but they didn’t display properly - nothing but a lot of little squares.
I don’t want to mess with a Website in Chinese and my credit card number. I prefer to deal on a cash basis, in person. If I walk into a Seven and find a clerk who knows what I’m talking about, can I renew it with cash? Thanks.[/quote]
When I still had my prepaid sim card with 7-11 (last year), yes, you could recharge it with the clerk. To recharge, you buy a little card with a password you have to scratch to see, which you’ll imput when you call the Balance Inquiry/Recharge number. The cards are in set amounts, I think $150/300/500/1,000.
You can also do it through the iBon machine as well (in Chinese), but it doesn’t really save any time because the machine issues a receipt which you must take to the clerk and pay for anyway.
[quote=“Steve4nLanguage” To recharge, you buy a little card with a password you have to scratch to see, which you’ll imput when you call the Balance Inquiry/Recharge number.[/quote]
This sounds like what I’m looking for. Are the cards out where I can find them, or do I ask the clerk? If I ask the clerk, what’s the card called in Mandarin?
They’re not out on display; you need to ask the clerk. They’re called 7-mobile 儲值卡chu3 zhi2 ka3. If you dial 722 you can find out what the balance on your card is (there should be an option for English).
Here’s what they look like: http://www.7-11.com.tw/7mobile/act2_2.html. The card I had didn’t have 3G, only phone/text service. I don’t know if the 7-mobile 3G pre-paid card is different or not.
Note: The $1,000 card has a bonus and actually gives you $1,200 worth of call time.
I haven’t seen the refill cards only the sim cards. I had to use the ibon machine to figure it out then take the receipt and pay for it. As for getting english when you dial 722 hit 6 then 2
I got through on 722 and it tells me I have a balance and I’m not expiring any time soon. Dial anything else and it’s just boopbooopboop.
EDIT: Got thorugh to a human via 722, 6, 2, 0. She had very limited English skills, “call back later.” Tried to ask what time in English, she didn’t understand. Asked in Mandarin, got a long, rapid fire reply I couldn’t follow.
Nothing to do but keep calling at random times, I guess. This CNY thing might have them short-staffed.
Hmm, at this point I’m stumped. Perhaps you could call the phone number that’s at the bottom of the webpage at the link I posted above. For pre-paid cards it says to call 722 or 449-1711.
(7Mobile統一超商電信預付卡門號24小時語音服務專線:7Mobile統一超商電信預付卡門號手機直撥722 / 市話撥打449-1711)
Update: I got through to tech support, was told they locked the phone number because they never received a form from the 7-11 where I bought it. This after I’d been using it for about two months, unawares. I guess it’s like a grace period or something.
Ah, bureaucracy. For two months, their mistakes cancelled each other out.
Next time, I’m thinking maybe don’t use the 7-11. I got a data SIM for my Nexus at Taiwan Mobile. The folks there seemed more with it than the 7-11 clerk. But I have t come in every 30 days.