So this is probably an over discussed topic but perhaps this presents another option.
I’ll be in Taiwan for two months during the summer studying at NTNU’s mtc. I’m still unsure what I should do. I understand that I need two forms of ID (one being passport) in order to get a sim card for mobile phone service.
What are the standard prices for calling back to the U.S. (mobile to mobile)?
How ubiquitous is wifi in Taiwan?
I have a US Tmobile hd2 now, I believe I can get an unlock code for tmobile. What 3g spectrum is supported in Taiwan? I’m pretty sure I can at least get edge as it is a quad band gsm phone. Should I just get new one? Any to recommend? I hear the HTC sensation is coming out soon and the Incredible S is nice (Incredbile S is currently not released in the US, however, apparently it is Tmobile AWS compatible).
I have a Google Voice so I can practically call the U.S. for free from my mobile… Anyone familiar to how this works?
I think it uses a server in Taiwan to call a server in the U.S. (or another country) then each server calls the local number and bridges the connection… is that correct?
The cost of this service is free, so if that’s the case, it will be like calling a local number right? What’s the best way to go about this? prepaid? Any way to call free that isn’t like voip? I want to be able to call from my mobile on mobile service, not wifi.
I’ve also been lurking around on the forum and it seems the Da ge da is recommended for data… what are the rates like in Taiwan?
3G spectrum, 2100MHz, so no worries there.
Pre-paid SIM cards aren’t that cheap to use here, but you could always use pre-paid call cards which would make it a lot cheaper. Sadly 3G/HSPA on pre-paid phones here isn’t that cheap as you’re paying for 1-5 days worth of usage which is somewhere around NT$400-500 depending on the provider. Wi-Fi is widely available and at least some of it might even be free by the time you get here as they’re apparently making some changes to WiFly (that’s what the major service is called). I’m not sure Google voice works in Taiwan, although it might do as you already have an account.
Unlock your phone, you’ll be fine on the 3G channel.
Google Voice has been wonky for me lately. Skype is fine, however.
3G speeds compared to the States: you won’t believe how fast it is here. Expect to get up to about 3-3.5Mbps download… my house in the US doesn’t get that.
3G prices compares to the States: you won’t believe how cheap it is here, even for prepaid. If you are going to be on a student visa with no ARC, then your best bet is in fact the Taiwan Mobile (aka MyFone, aka 台灣大哥大）prepaid card at 350NT for each 5 days or about 60US bucks a month for fully unlimited data… so on par with a contract plan Stateside. You can pick this up at the airport or at any MyFone store.
I have an unlimited data plan from Vibo, which is 3G, but they seem to be capping at around 50 Kbps. Are you on an unlimited plan too? I’d be thrilled to get the speed you’re getting. I have about a year left on my contract.
3G speeds compared to the States: you won’t believe how fast it is here. Expect to get up to about 3-3.5Mbps download… my house in the US doesn’t get that.
[/quote]
I have an unlimited data plan from Vibo, which is 3G, but they seem to be capping at around 50 Kbps. Are you on an unlimited plan too? I’d be thrilled to get the speed you’re getting. I have about a year left on my contract.[/quote]
Yes unlimited on contract with Taiwan Mobile. CHungHwa Telecom also gets similar rates. 50kbps sounds like you’re on EDGE or worse. Could your phone setup be such that it’s not using 3G?
Thanks for all the replies!
Free wi-fi would be awesome… I’m so accustomed to my cheap unlimited data plan here in the U.S. .
In the U.S. my speeds are pretty fast too. Depends on location of course. When I’m in minneapolis, I can easily hit 3-3.5 mbps down. Lol, In San Jose, I was pretty close to the theoretical max of 7.2 mbps down XD
otherwise at my house I get around 2mbps down.
Thanks for clarifying on the 3g spectrum used in Taiwan
60 bucks a month?! yikes. that’s 10 times more than what I pay in the US right now for unlimited data…
Are there any plans that are based off of data used?
Also, what kind of price range are we looking at for prepaid calling?
I’ll be sure to get the unlock code from tmobile then. Thanks a lot for all the help!
I’m looking forward to checking out all the phones in TW too
What plan does T-Mobile have that’s $6USD/month for unlimited 3G data? That seems impossibly low, but if it’s generally available, would love to know how!
My girlfriend keeps a T-mobile plan back in the States and we see the “unlimited” everything plan with data right now is $80/month with throttling after 2GB and an extra charge of ~$15/month to use tethering. The rest of their plans seem to be capped data plans.
The Taiwan Mobile (台灣大哥大) data plans have no throttling and no charge for tethering.
It is now grandfathered, I got it when i got my first phone in middle school (Motorola razr! ).
These days it will be really hard to get. Another important thing to consider is that this data plan does not work with all tmobile phones. It primarily is not compatible with android smart phones such as the g2x or desire z. There have been exceptions though such as the nexus one and behold 2. For some reason it also works on window mobiles devices such as the HD2 and HD7. (With the HD2 capable of installing android.)
I would recommend you call loyalty and give it a try. It helps if you have been with tmobile for quite some time. Other plans that have been grandfathered are a lot easier to get than this “tzones” plan. A grandfathered call web2go is available and goes for 5 or 10 dollars. There seems to be throttling after 5gB though. Another plan that i think is called android loyalty goes for 20 dollars (it is now grandfathered but basically is the plan the g1 came out wit. This android loyalty plan i think also starts throttling at 5gB. However this is compatible with all devices on tmobile such as the g2x or vibrant.
There is a thread on Howard forums that i can link here that has many people’s experience in getting these plans. Tmobile seems to be pretty good with their customers… if you get a service representative that doesn’t know about these plans or says it doesn’t eist, call back and get a different Rep.
Hope that helps. Tzones is really the best though. Unlimited everything tethering and no throtting. It just isn’t compatible with devices tmobilw imei blacklists XD
Is there a pay per MB (or KB) feature for Taiwan Dageda? I already own a SIM card from them, but I don’t really need unlimited data – just the occasional Google Maps direction look up. Hopefully the Wifly free wi-fi will come up soon, but until then it’d be great to know if this feature is available for Dageda.
Edit: To answer my own question, the prepaid plan for Dageda includes an option for 45NT/MB (it’s quoted as 0.045NT/KB). I had to call to get the right APN (Access Point Name). I’m not sure if they also enabled the data plan for me when I called in, but if with the right APN it’s not working, you may want to call to make sure it’s enabled on your plan.
Okay thanks for all the help guys! I’ve been following up on Taiwan DGD’s website and I’m thinking the most cost effective method (for international calls) is to pretty much use a data only plan. (advice?)
So I use a data plan to make outgoing calls with my google voice number. (this may not be cost effective for anyone calling me locally though :s )
With google voice, any call to the U.S. is free. SMS is free. International outbound calls to Taiwan will cost me around 2 cents. Based on my past mobile history, I use around 200-400 minutes a month which equates to around 4-8 dollars.
Also based on my current data usage, I typically use less than 1gB of data month without tethering.
Using a sip client, I expect to use 1.2mB of data minute over 3g or half a megabyte over edge. so that will eat up half a gigabyte of data at most.
So is it feasible or logical to go with a data only plan on DGD? Based on their site, they have a plan for ~800 mB a month for $700… It non contract right?
Should I just go with a normal rate plan and tack on additional data? Plan suggestions would be great.
I can also get a sim at the airport with two pieces of ID?
Are there any unlimited data plans on TaiwanDGD for mobile phones?
[quote=“benkei”]Okay thanks for all the help guys! I’ve been following up on Taiwan DGD’s website and I’m thinking the most cost effective method (for international calls) is to pretty much use a data only plan. (advice?)
So I use a data plan to make outgoing calls with my google voice number. (this may not be cost effective for anyone calling me locally though :s )
With google voice, any call to the U.S. is free. SMS is free. International outbound calls to Taiwan will cost me around 2 cents. Based on my past mobile history, I use around 200-400 minutes a month which equates to around 4-8 dollars.
Also based on my current data usage, I typically use less than 1gB of data month without tethering.
Using a sip client, I expect to use 1.2mB of data minute over 3g or half a megabyte over edge. so that will eat up half a gigabyte of data at most.
So is it feasible or logical to go with a data only plan on DGD? Based on their site, they have a plan for ~800 mB a month for $700… It non contract right?
Should I just go with a normal rate plan and tack on additional data? Plan suggestions would be great.
I can also get a sim at the airport with two pieces of ID?
Are there any unlimited data plans on TaiwanDGD for mobile phones?
Thanks!
Benkei[/quote]
My roommate has the prepaid 350NT/week for unlimited data on Dageda. This comes out to 1400NT/month, which is pricey. I’m not sure if there is a cheaper prepaid option, but postpaid (with contract) I know unlimited data is more affordable. You can try asking the Dageda store at the airport when you arrive.
The official requirement is 2 IDs, but I think at the airport they are less strict about this since it’s not really reasonable for foreigners who haven’t had a chance to apply for an ARC or student ID to carry a state issued ID outside of one’s passport.
I actually hadn’t thought of using Google Voice with software SIP – without SIP, you can’t use Google Voice since voice calls require an actual voice plan. Which SIP client do you use? (I assume you are on Android?)
That plan (prepaid without long-term contract) is on average about NT$2140 per month, since - exactly as mabagal explained! - it is NT$350 for 5 days (i used to use that plan myself for a couple of months). Considering the possible data speed (over 3Mbps/s down and abt. 120kbps up), considering also that it is an unlimited data plan, and finally considering that i had my SIP VoIP connected over it all the time, it was a good deal for me…
So far nobody has reported one here…
It sure is, and so is prepaid with long-term contract (my unlimited data plan is NT$650per month, one third of the plan without long-term contract) - but long-contract plans are not available to the OP…
That plan (prepaid without long-term contract) is on average about NT$2140 per month, since - exactly as mabagal explained! - it is NT$350 for 5 days (i used to use that plan myself for a couple of months). Considering the possible data speed (over 3Mbps/s down and abt. 120kbps up), considering also that it is an unlimited data plan, and finally considering that I had my SIP VoIP connected over it all the time, it was a good deal for me…
So far nobody has reported one here…
It sure is, and so is prepaid with long-term contract (my unlimited data plan is NT$650per month, one third of the plan without long-term contract) - but long-contract plans are not available to the OP… [/quote]
Ah I forgot about weekends! Fairly important two days I’m leaving out there.
