Taiwan Mobile Networks for Travellers: How Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and Far EasTone Differ

The three main operators

Taiwan's mobile market has three main operators: Chunghwa Telecom (中華電信), the largest, Taiwan Mobile (台灣大哥大) and Far EasTone, known as FET (遠傳電信). All three offer 4G and 5G in the big cities of Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung.

Cities versus mountains, the east coast and islands

In Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, mobile signal is generally strong on streets, in malls and in parts of the MRT. Trouble tends to appear outside the cities: in valleys, on mountain roads, and along stretches of the east coast where terrain blocks the signal.

Outlying islands such as Penghu (澎湖) and Kinmen have signal in settled areas, but strength can differ from the main island. If you depend on maps all day, download offline maps beforehand.

4G, 5G and the end of 3G

Taiwan's 3G networks have been switched off. Any phone that needs data must support at least 4G (LTE). Very old phones or 3G-only models cannot get online in Taiwan. 5G works in the larger cities if both your phone and your plan support it.

Before leaving, check your phone's eSIM support and the bands in the plan details. For package choice, see “Taiwan eSIM: there's no country-only plan, so which regional package do you pick?”.

Which network a travel eSIM uses

Most travel eSIMs do not have their own network in Taiwan. They roam onto a partner network, which could be Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile or Far EasTone depending on the plan. The plan details should name the network; if they do not, ask the seller before buying.

• Turn on data roaming for the eSIM line in your phone settings
• Data-only plans come without a Taiwanese phone number
• Keep your Thai SIM on to receive bank OTP SMS

At Taoyuan Airport and major hubs such as Taipei Main Station, mobile signal is usually good enough for maps and ride-hailing, which makes them a handy place to confirm your eSIM works before moving on. If no signal appears, check that roaming is on and try toggling airplane mode.

Checking signal at Alishan, Taroko and Hehuanshan

Mountain areas carry the highest risk of dropouts. At Alishan (阿里山), the railway station and lodging areas usually have signal, but walking trails may lose it. In Taroko (太魯閣) narrow gorges can make signal swing. Hehuanshan (合歡山) sits high up; signal may be fine on the road yet disappear over the far side.

1. 1Look at coverage mapsOpen the website of the operator named in your plan and check the signal map for the area you plan to visit.
2. 2Download offline dataDownload offline maps and screenshot timetables, lodging details and emergency numbers before heading up.
3. 3Share your planTell your lodging or travel companions your route and return time before a hike.

Manual network selection, VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling

If signal is weak but another network is nearby, choosing the network manually may help, provided your eSIM allows roaming on more than one network.

• iPhone: Settings, Cellular, switch Automatic off under Network Selection and pick an operator
• Android: Settings, Connections, Mobile networks, Network operators, then choose manually; menu names vary by brand
• If nothing works or the list is empty, go back to automatic

VoLTE carries calls over 4G, and Wi-Fi calling carries them over Wi-Fi. Both matter only when your SIM has a phone number. On a data-only eSIM, call through LINE or another chat app instead. Setup is covered in our Wi-Fi calling abroad guide, linked below.

One more point: once you pick a network by hand, the phone will not switch on its own when signal drops. Set it back to automatic when you leave that area, and restart the phone or toggle airplane mode briefly if data hangs after you move between places.

Taiwan's internet is open, so no VPN is needed

Popular services such as Google, LINE, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp work normally in Taiwan, with no VPN needed to reach them. If you left a VPN on from another trip, switch it off first when speeds look unusually slow.

Voir les forfaits eSIM Taïwan