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GT Mobile Taiwan Review: Bad but… Decent? (+Speedtests)

2020 was probably the start of a terrible phase in many people's lives – perhaps yours included.

For me, not as much as bad as most (it was probably the start of a great 20s for me… so far).

Before the world went on a lockdown, I was in Taiwan – a trip that was supposed to last only two months.

With infection rates being crazy in Europe and Australia being closed off to basically everyone (including its own citizens), I did not feel like going anyway.

Luckily, the Taiwanese government was kind enough to extend everyone's visa – even though I would normally have to leave after 90 days.

Because of this lenient policy, I stayed in Taiwan for an entire year.

As a result, I was able to test every Taiwanese SIM card, including GT Mobile Taiwan, extensively.

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Card Starter Pack Front

I am talking about literal months of testing in nine different cities/counties – from New Taipei up north to Pingtung to the south – from Chiayi/Taichung on the west to Hualien/Taitung (literally meaning East Taiwan) on the east; I have been there.

I have to say that I usually do not get the opportunity to test SIM cards for a year (mostly because I want to visit another country anyway… so much to see!) – but with a lockdown, it seemed like I had no choice.

And you know I took that opportunity and went to the extreme – testing each SIM card at 101 test locations (to pay respect to the Taiwan 101 building (honestly, it was just a coincidence, lol)).

Adu from Phone Travel Wiz's collection of Taiwanese SIM Cards (Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, T Star, GT Mobile & Ibon Mobile)
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So when I say that GT Mobile Taiwan is bad but decent in the title, you can believe it truly is – especially when I compare it to five other Taiwanese SIM cards (Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, T Star Taiwan & Ibon Mobile).

But of course, I will explain why GT Mobile Taiwan is decent throughout this review.

Let's get started, shall we?

GT Mobile Review by Phone Travel Wiz

Original publication: 24th of September 2020 (but rewritten on the 2nd of January 2023 as part of an updated and revamped review). Last updated: 15th of January 2024.


Table of Contents

Who is GT Mobile Taiwan?

GT Mobile Taiwan Logo
© GT Mobile Taiwan

GT Mobile Taiwan by Asia Pacific Telecom (APT), or 亞太電信 if you want to be fancy, is the smallest mobile operator in Taiwan.

It announced its merger with Far EasTone, Taiwan's third-largest mobile operator, in February 2022.

Once the merger has been approved and completed, the GT Mobile Taiwan brand will be phased out.

However, it already uses Far EasTone's 5G NR network.

In Taiwan, you have five mobile operators and one Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) offering prepaid services easily accessible to tourists:

  • Chunghwa Telecom (中華電信)
  • Taiwan Mobile (台灣大哥大)
  • Far EasTone (遠傳電信)
  • T Star Taiwan (台灣之星)
  • GT Mobile Taiwan (亞太電信)
  • Ibon Mobile (統一超商電信 – Far EasTone MVNO)

Just like Far EasTone and GT Mobile Taiwan, Taiwan Mobile and T Star Taiwan announced a merger.

For now, you have six options.

As you know, I tested the other four mobile operators + the sole MVNO during my one-year stay in Taiwan. You can read them here: Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone & T Star Taiwan + Ibon Mobile.

Buying a SIM Card in Taiwan Guide (logos of Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, T Star, GT Mobile & Ibon Mobile)

Let's talk about GT Mobile's coverage first, after these quick frequency details:

  • 2G: N/A – never had it
  • 3G: N/A – shut down in 2017
  • 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 900 MHz (Band 8), & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
  • 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78 – shared with Far EasTone) & 28 GHz (n257)
  • VoLTE: Yes
  • VoWiFi: Yes

Here you have GT Mobile Taiwan's APN settings:

  • Name: APT
  • APN: gtnet

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

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GT Mobile Taiwan Coverage + My Experience

You can have a mobile operator providing you 1 Gbps download speeds.

But it will be useless if it covers only one street in Taiwan.

So, how is GT Mobile Taiwan's coverage?

Regarding general availability, GT Mobile Taiwan has the worst availability, with an availability score of 98.2%.

Behind Chunghwa Telecom and T Star Taiwan (98.9%), Taiwan Mobile (99%) & Far EasTone (99.2%).

Taiwan Opensignal 4G LTE Availability

But with score of more than 98%, all Taiwanese mobile operators have excellent availability anyway.

When looking at 5G NR availability, we have to look at Far EasTone's numbers because GT Mobile Taiwan uses that network @ 3500 MHz (n78).

Far EasTone has the best 5G NR availability (38.7%). Ahead of Taiwan Mobile (23.3%), Chunghwa Telecom (22.9%) & T Star Taiwan (21.8%).

When we look at 5G NR reach, Far EasTone is the best, with a reach score of 6.9 (on a 10-point scale).

Ahead of Taiwan Mobile (6), Chunghwa Telecom (5.3) & T Star Taiwan (4.3).

So far, I have been talking about coverage from other reports, but what was my coverage experience with GT Mobile Taiwan?

It was great, but not excellent as with Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile & Far EasTone.

Because GT Mobile Taiwan had no 3G network since 2017, it could not fall back to it when 4G/LTE was unavailable (unlike T Star Taiwan that would just jump back to 3G).

Unlike most countries I visit, I also spend much time in non-touristy areas in Taiwan (because I had a full year here).

In most cases, I was still connected to 4G/LTE.

However, expect your phone to switch to 3G or have no reception at all when you are on the train (especially on the high-speed train (HSR)).

There is one exception: Pingtung and Taitung counties.

If you take the train from the west to the east, the train will go through a few mountains (the view is amazing, by the way).

You will barely have reception in these sections – and it starts from Fangshan until Taimali (which takes 1:30 hours to 2:30 hours, depending on the train you take).

Pingtung to Taitung by Train

Yes, there are other stations between those Fangshan and Taimali.

But there is a big chance your train will not stop at most of them, meaning your phone does not have enough time to reconnect to the network.

And even though the train leaves the tunnels every now and then, you still will not have enough time to reconnect to the network.

I cannot speak of how reception will be when you take the car from Pingtung to Taitung (because I could not drive back then).

It may be better than on the train because most of the roads do not go through tunnels.

Below is GT Mobile Taiwan's coverage map on the mainland and Penghu County (the island on the left/west of the mainland) produced by Speedtest:

Below are the coverage maps on the Kinmen Islands (Jincheng – on the left) and the Matsu Islands (Lienchiang + Dongju, Nangan & Xiju – on the right) produced by Speedtest:

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How to Get a GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Card & Prices

I would discourage you from buying a SIM card at airports in most countries.

Either becaue of (overly) expensive tourist SIM cards are sold there, or the salespeople jack up the prices with high “minimum top-ups” or because they simply can.

While getting a SIM card at the airport can be convenient, especially when you arrive late or need to be connected as soon as possible, it is often (way) cheaper to buy SIM cards in town.

In Taiwan, however, things are a bit different – I recommend buying Taiwanese SIM cards, including GT Mobile Taiwan, at the airport.

I would almost demand you to do so… but that would be too pushy 😜.

Not only are the SIM cards sold at airports of amazing value, but it can also be a challenge to get a prepaid SIM card as a tourist (visa-free or tourist visa).

That is because most stores either do not deal with prepaid SIM cards or do not deal with tourists (not that they would shoo you away, but they can only assist those with a (temporary) resident visa, like students).

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Cards Back

So, what is up with these airport SIM cards that I am so hyped about?

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM cards sold at airports feature truly unlimited data.

Yeah, right… unlimited? Just like in Malaysia, where “unlimited” means “unlimited” until you hit the 3 GB/10 GB/30 GB Fair Use quota?

No… actually unlimited – no fair use limit.

How am I so sure? Because I used GT Mobile Taiwan in ten counties (state, province, parish, territory, region – you get it) and never experienced any data or speed caps.

I used more than 100 GB with GT Mobile Taiwan and experienced no data speed drops or being cut off the network.

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Cards with Pack Front

Yeah, this puts all those countries with “unlimited” data plans or SIM cards to shame (like Malaysia, smh 🙄).

Okay, that is enough hyping up – let's go through the process of buying a GT Mobile Taiwan SIM card.

First, you need to know that GT Mobile Taiwan has stores at Taoyuan – Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) only (so not even at Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH) or Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA).

This applies to Far EasTone and T Star Taiwan – Taiwan Mobile is also available at Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH).

The same applies to Chunghwa Telecom, but it also has booths at Taichung International Airport (RMQ) and Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA).

While I know an airport like Tainan Airport also has international connections, it is not considered an international airport by the Republic of China Civil Aeronautics Administration… and no SIM cards are sold there anyway 🤪.

At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, you have two booths selling GT Mobile Taiwan SIM cards.

GT Mobile Taiwan Store Location at Taipei Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1
© GT Mobile Taiwan
GT Mobile Taiwan Store Location at Taipei Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 2
© GT Mobile Taiwan

How much do GT Mobile Taiwan SIM cards cost?

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM cards are sold between 230 NTD to 1900 NTD, called Voyageur 4G Internet Access.

GT Mobile Taiwan Reseller at Taipei Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

The following seve Voyageur 4G Internet Access SIM cards are available:

PriceCreditDataValidity
230 NTD50 NTDUnlimited4 days
250 NTD50 NTDUnlimited6 days
300 NTD100 NTDUnlimited4 days
450 NTD80 NTDUnlimited8 days
500 NTD300 NTDUnlimited6 days
500 NTD100 NTDUnlimited11 days
1000 NTD400 NTDUnlimited15 days

Unlike the other tourist SIM cards, GT Mobile Taiwan's do not have 5G NR access.

GT Mobile Taiwan Voyaguer 4G Tourist SIM Cards

But… more plans are available, which are not advertised anywhere else, except for at the airport.

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Card Starter Pack Front

If you plan on staying in Taiwan for 30 days or longer, these (4G/LTE) plans are also available to you:

PriceCreditDataValidity
880 NTD60 NTDUnlimited30 days
1450 NTD60 NTDUnlimited60 days
1900 NTD60 NTDUnlimited90 days
Chunghwa Telecom Taiwan & GT Mobile Taiwan Airport SIM Card Plans

This is also a good moment to inform you that GT Mobile Taiwan tourist SIM cards cannot be extended (not even by topping up).

So if you know you want to explore Taiwan for several months, it is recommended (and cheaper) to go for a multi-month SIM card outright instead of buying multiple short-term ones.

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Card Front

As of really recently, GT Mobile Taiwan finally introduced 5G NR-enabled tourist SIM cards – you have these three:

PriceCreditDataValidity
400 NTD50 NTDUnlimited4 days
500 NTD100 NTDUnlimited6 days
700 NTD150 NTDUnlimited8 days

Just like the 4G SIM cards, you get truly unlimited data with the 5G SIM cards, but tethering (mobile hotspot) is limited (3 GB, 5 GB & 7 GB, respectively).

GT Mobile Taiwan 5G NR Tourist SIM Cards

Back when I was still in Taiwan, GT Mobile Taiwan was not selling any 5G NR-enabled SIM cards.

Be aware that while GT Mobile Taiwan has eSIMs, they are currently not offered to prepaid customers (including the GT Mobile Taiwan tourist SIM cards).

But if you want to learn about all recommended eSIM options for Taiwan, which many Phone Travel Wiz can vouch for too, check out my Taiwan eSIM comparison guide (with one option also offering unlimited data in the country).

Buying an eSIM for Taiwan Guide (logos of SimOptions, Nomad, Asialink, Discover+, Xie Xie, Holafly, AIS, Alosim & Airalo)

When you ask for your GT Mobile Taiwan SIM card, you will be asked for your passport.

That is because SIM card registration is mandatory, as mandated by law.

  • Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)
SIM Card Registration Worldwide Tool by Phone Travel Wiz

A photocopy of your passport will be made, and your personal details will be filled into the system.

Once the salesperson is done, they will ask you to sign a document (in traditional Chinese characters).

Taiwan Mobile Contract for Tourist SIM Cards 1
This is the contract I signed with Taiwan mobile

Afterward, the salesperson will ask for your phone to activate the SIM card and set up the APN settings.

Confirming if your SIM cards work is opening an app (Google Chrome/Safari or YouTube).

So if you normally watch unsavory videos or forgot to change profiles, this is your reminder to do so to not embarrass yourself (I am not speaking of personal experience, but I can already see some… interesting things happening 🗿).

And you are off to go!

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Card Starter Pack Open

Now, let's say you do not care about tourist SIM cards and unlimited data – can you get a regular Taiwanese SIM card at in town, such as a grocery store, convenience store, or GT Mobile Taiwan?

Yes… if you are not a tourist.

When the salesperson checks your passport before photocopying it, they check the entry stamp (and visa) in your passport.

If you have a visa-exempt stamp, like mine below, or a tourist visa, you cannot get a regular GT Mobile Taiwan SIM card.

Dutch Passport with Taiwanses Entry, Extension & Exit Stamps 1

Trust me – I tried. I was in Taiwan for a year.

I was based in Tainan.

One day, I decided I bike to all mobile operator stores in a three-kilometer radius (50+, including GT Mobile Taiwan).

GT Mobile Taiwan Store in Tainan City

Only three stores could sell regular SIM cards to me (Far EasTone, GT Mobile & 7-Eleven (for Ibon Mobile)).

A FarEasTone salesperson was trying to scam me by charging 1000 NTD for a plan that is usually 300 NTD.

The GT Mobile Taiwan salesperson had to make five calls to figure out what to do, costing me 1.5 hours.

In the case of 7-Eleven's Ibon Mobile, most stores do not have SIM cards in stock (even though the website claims so).

Even then, the staff needs to have time to help you out (most 7-Elevens are busy at all times, except for at night).

Registration takes about 30 minutes too (which involved a few calls too because I was “missing” an extension stamp) – it took me an hour.

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Cards Front and Back with Starter Pack

You will notice that I have not yet mentioned Chunghwa Telecom and Taiwan Mobile.

The thing is… it was relatively easy to get a SIM card at a Chunghwa Telecom store.

Many Chunghwa Telecom stores are willing to deal with tourists… but only to sell tourist SIM cards.

And the same applies to Taiwan Mobile, although even more of their stores sell tourist SIM cards – but they are 100 NTD more than at the airport.

One Taiwan Mobile staff member tried to sign me up for a prepaid student plan (a bit cheaper than tourist SIM cards). After making about four calls and consulting with the on-store manager, it was impossible because they could not bend on not having a student visa (but I appreciated her trying!).

Most GT Mobile Taiwan stores do not deal with tourists, but mostly because they do not deal with prepaid customers.

In fact, when I went to GT Mobile Taiwan for prepaid SIM cards, most told me to head to Taiwan Mobile instead.

Except for the one store that did well me a prepaid SIM card, but the whole ordeal took me 1.5 hours… and I bet you do not have 1.5 hours to waste 🗿.

GT Mobile Taiwan Store in Tainan City from a Distance
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GT Mobile Taiwan Plans, Bundles & Offers

You do not have to worry about adding any plans because… you cannot add any plans.

And that is actually a good thing because you get truly unlimited data with GT Mobile Taiwan.

The thing is, GT Mobile Taiwan does have regular prepaid plans, as shown in the screenshot below.

GT Mobile Taiwan Prepaid Plans

That screenshot is of no help if you cannot read Chinese – lol – but GT Mobile Taiwan offers unlimited data plans to regular prepaid customers as well and plans with a data cap.

The difference between these plans and the GT Mobile Taiwan tourist SIM cards is that the regular plans extend the validity of the SIM card.

Tourist SIM cards cannot be extended – not even when you try to add a regular plan (or even by topping up).

I am not sure if adding a regular plan would succeed on a tourist SIM card (I did not try, and I suggest you do not either 🤪).

But if you add credit and do not use it before the SIM card's expiry, it will be lost – so be aware.

So get a SIM card for the entirety of your stay, and you will be good to go.

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GT Mobile Taiwan Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check

GT Mobile Taiwan top-up vouchers are sold in convenience stores, 7-Eleven, FamilyMart & Hi-Life, throughout Taiwan.

While you officially can also top-up your SIM card in GT Mobile Taiwan stores, most cannot or will not deal with prepaid customers (they will tell you to go to a convenience store instead. But some of them are nice enough to write instructions in Chinese so that the convenience store salesperson can help you out).

Here is an instruction video on how to purchase a GT Mobile Taiwan top-up vouchers from a 7-Eleven Ibon machine:

To top up your GT Mobile Taiwan SIM card, call 987, select option 1, enter the VoucherCode# (including the # sign), and follow the instructions.

For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would call 987, select option 1, and enter 123456#.

Call 987 to check your GT Mobile Taiwan balance.

Note: GT Mobile Taiwan tourist SIM cards cannot be extended, not even when you top up your SIM card.

It will expire at the predefined expiry date, and you will need a new SIM card if you still want to be connected.

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GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results (in Hualien, Kaohsiung, Luodong, New Taipei City, Taichung, Taipei, Tainan, Taitung, Taoyuan & Yilan)

Alright, now it is time to talk about the speeds you can expect with GT Mobile Taiwan after covering all the other essential topics like coverage.

But before I share my test results in Hualien, Kaohsiung, Luodong, New Taipei City, Taichung, Taipei, Tainan, Taitung, Taoyuan & Yilan counties, I want to set the stage first and make a small comparison with GT Mobile Taiwan's competition.

The insights I give you are from 2022, while I did the tests back in 2020.

GT Mobile Taiwan is regarded by Speedtest as the slowest mobile operator in Taiwan in Q1-Q2 of 2022.

With a median download speed of 18.58 Mbps, GT Mobile Taiwan is behind T Star Taiwan (35.40 Mbps), Taiwan Mobile (48.07 Mbps), Far EasTone (64.48 Mbps) & Chunghwa Telecom (71.39 Mbps).

Normally, I would also give you some numbers about the 5G NR network of the mobile operator.

However, GT Mobile Taiwan does not allow tourist SIM card users to use its 5G NR network… so it does not matter 🤷🏿‍♂️.

Anyway, those were valuable insights – let's talk about my speed test results now.

As I said, I did speed tests with the Speedtest app in nine cities/counties, which is way more than most of the testing I did (usually in just one or two cities, lmao).

So I will go county to county, allowing you to just read the results of the city/cities/county/counties you plan on visiting.

For reference, I consider an average download speed of 25 Mbps and an average of 10 Mbps upload speed fast enough.

Preferably, download speeds should be 100 Mbps+ on 4G/LTE… but we are not there yet 🗿.

But why these averages?

A download speed of more than 25 Mbps is enough to video stream content @ 4k resolution.

Social media sites that allow for live streaming, like Facebook Live, recommend an upload speed of at least 10 Mbps.

So, that is why – but that does not mean that a download speed of less than 100 Mbps excited me 😏.

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Hualien County (Hualien City & Xincheng Township)

Hualien County Flag

Hualian County (花蓮縣) is the third-smallest county on the mainland and the sixth-smallest county in Taiwan.

While the county has lovely beaches and mountains for exploration or swimming… it is certainly not an exciting place to be 🗿.

Adu from Phone Travel Wiz in a Spring in Hualien City

Anyway, I stayed in Hualien City and visited a few beaches in Xincheng Township (新城鄉 – but I had to turn back because scary clouds were heading in my direction).

Let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in Hualien County:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Hualien County

Decent speeds with GT Mobile Taiwan in Hualien County.

GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-slowest average download speed in Hualien County (37.69 Mbps), with the slowest being speed-throttled T Star Taiwan (24.42 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Download at 7-Eleven Fuqian Road in Haulien (90.39 Mbps)
7-Eleven Fuqian Road Haulien

For comparison, the best performer in Hualien County was Chunghwa Telecom, with an average download speed of 70.37 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan again had the second-worst average upload speed (9.81 Mbps), with T Star Taiwan being the worst in Hualien County (9.81 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Dongdamen Night Market in Haulien (58.63 Mbps)
Dongdamen Night Market Haulien

Far EasTone outdid all the others in Hualien County (28.78 Mbps).


GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Kaohsiung City

Kaohsiung City Flag

Kaohsiung City (高雄市) is Taiwan's second-largest city behind New Taipei.

Yes… Taipei is not even the largest – that surprised me too.

Kaohsiung City is the third-largest special municipality in the country.

It is also one of the more exciting cities in Taiwan – there is so much to do, AND it is cheaper than Taipei.

Adu from Phone Travel Wiz in Port Kaohsiung

Let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in Kaohsiung City:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Kaohsiung City

Slow speeds with GT Mobile in Kaohsiung City.

GT Mobile has the slowest average download speed in Kaohsiung City (18.25 Mbps), with the second being speed-throttled T Star Taiwan.

National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Kaohsiung

For comparison, the best performer in Kaohsiung City was Chunghwa Telecom, with an average download speed of 97.28 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan had also the worst average upload speed (5.69 Mbps), with T Star Taiwan being the second-worst in Kaohsiung City (8.83 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Kaohsiung Airport International Arrival Hall in Kaohsiung (12.76 Mbps)
Kaohsiung Airport International Arrival Hall Kaohsiung

Far EasTone outdid all the others in Kaohsiung City (28.15 Mbps).


GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in New Taipei City

New Taipei City Flag

New Taipei City (新北市) is Taiwan's largest city and special municipality.

You may wonder why that is not Taipei… and I cannot answer that 🗿.

Often, you will not even know if you are still in Taipei or New Taipei City, so it does not matter anyway.

Adu from Phone Travel Wiz at Treasure Hill in New Taipei City

Let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in New Taipei City:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in New Taipei City

Decent speeds with GT Mobile Taiwan in New Taipei City.

GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-slowest average download speed in New Taipei City (29.87 Mbps), with the slowest being speed-throttled T Star Taiwan (19.73 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Download at Lover's Bridge in New Taipei (82.44 Mbps)
Lover's Bridge New Taipei

For comparison, the best performer in New Taipei City was Chunghwa Telecom, with an average download speed of 87.08 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan had the worst average upload speed (9.23 Mbps), with T Star Taiwan being the second-worst in New Taipei City (10.52 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Banqiao Station Park in New Taipei (17.92 Mbps)
Banqiao Station Park New Taipei

Far EasTone outdid all the others in New Taipei City (26.83 Mbps).


GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Taichung City

Taichung City Flag

Taichung City (臺中市) is the second-largest special municipality and the third-largest city in Taiwan.

If you translate Taichung, it means Central Taiwan… even though it is in the west 🗿.

Unfortunately, there is no city called West Taiwan (that would be Taixi or something).

Adu from Phone Travel Wiz in Taichung City

Unlike the four most populous cities, you certainly want to use a moped if you want to travel around Taichung because everything is spread out.

Back then, I did not have a driver's license yet… and cycling for 30 minutes from one attraction to another in the sun was no fun 💀.

And before you asked why I did not take the bus, they like to take unnecessary detours in Taichung for some reason.

The new Green Line MRT is a nice addition, but it does not really go to the city center… so yeah 🤷🏿‍♂️.

Anyway, let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in Taichung City:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Taichung City

Another city with decent speeds with GT Mobile Taiwan.

GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-slowest average download speed in Taichung City (33.21 Mbps), with the slowest being T Star Taiwan (23.14 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Download at Totoro Bus Stop in Taichung (86.32 Mbps)
Totoro Bus Stop Taichung

For comparison, the best performer in Taichung City was Chunghwa Telecom, with an average download speed of 94.75 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-worst average upload speed (9.94 Mbps), with T Star Taiwan being the worst again in Taichung City (7.86 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Calligraphy Greenway in Taichung (19.56 Mbps)
Calligraphy Greenway Taichung

Chunghwa Telecom outdid all the others in Taichung City (7.86 Mbps).


GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Tainan City

Tainan City Flag

Tainan City (臺南市) is the smallest special municipality and the sixth-largest city in Taiwan.

Tainan was my base during my one-year stay in Taiwan.

I do not remember why I chose Tainan (it may have been recommended by my boyfriend), but I loved it there.

It is apparently the best city for food, but it is also where old people like to live, according to my young Taiwanese friends.

Adu from Phone Travel Wiz in front of the Chimei Museum in Tainan City

At least drivers do not try to intentionally hit you when you are on a bike (unlike Hualien City 💀).

Let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in Tainan City:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Tainan City

Decent speeds with GT Mobile Taiwan in Tainan City.

GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-slowest average download speed in Tainan City (34.30 Mbps), with the slowest being T Star Taiwan (26.40 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Download at Night Market NCKU in Tainan (80.79 Mbps)
Night Market NCKU Tainan

For comparison, the best performer in Tainan City was Chunghwa Telecom, with an average download speed of 115.97 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan had the worst average upload speed (8.15 Mbps), with T Star Taiwan being the second-worst in Tainan City (9.23 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Mom & Pop restaurant in Tainan (14.55 Mbps)
Mom & Pop restaurant Tainan

Chunghwa Telecom outdid all the others in Tainan City (27.91 Mbps).


GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Taipei City

Taipei City Flag

Taipei City (臺北市) is Taiwan's fourth-largest special municipality and city.

Yes… the capital city is not the largest in the country.

Not that that is uncommon… it is just unexpected 🤔.

But Taipei certainly has the most and best attractions in the country.

Adu from Phone Travel Wiz in Taipei

Let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in Taipei City:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Taipei City

Fast speeds in Taipei? You did not expect less, right?

GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-slowest average download speed in Taipei City (41.09 Mbps), with the slowest being T Star Taiwan (28.38 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Download at Sanuki Honka in Taipei (76.04 Mbps)
Sanuki Honka Taipei

For comparison, the best performer in Taipei City was Chunghwa Telecom, with an average download speed of 105.52 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-worst average upload speed (9.99 Mbps), with T Star Taiwan being the worst again in Taipei City (9.11 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Taipei Main Station in Taipei (22.27 Mbps)
Taipei Main Station Taipei

Far EasTone outdid all the others in Taipei City (28.15 Mbps).


GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Taitung County

Taitung County Flag

Taitung County (臺東縣) is the smallest county on the mainland and the fourth-smallest in Taiwan.

And I am not surprised – there is not much to do in Taitung City besides enjoying the bit of nature it has (Liyushan Park (鯉魚山公園) and Taitung Forest Park (臺東森林公園)).

But I do have to say that The Flowing Lake (台東森林公園活水湖) is stunning.

Taitung City Skyline

And with the airport being so close to the city, you will get rudely woken up between 6:00 and 7:00 because fighter jets like to fly around 🤬.

Let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in Taitung County:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Taitung County

Decent speeds for rural Taiwan with GT Mobile Taiwan.

GT Mobile had the second-slowest average download speed in Taitung County (37.91 Mbps), with the slowest being T Star Taiwan (24.42 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Download at Taitung City Bus Station in Taitung (72.32 Mbps)
Taitung City Bus Station Taitung

For comparison, the best performer in Taitung County was Chunghwa Telecom, with an average download speed of 110.45 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan had, surprisingly, the third-best average upload speed (23.26 Mbps), ahead of Far EasTone (17.81 Mbps) and T Star Taiwan (7.86 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Airbnb Nanchang Street in Taitung (36.25 Mbps)
Airbnb Nanchang Street Taitung

Chunghwa Telecom outdid all the others in Taitung County (24.32 Mbps).


GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Taoyuan City

Taoyuan City Flag

Taoyuan City (桃園市) is the second-smallest special municipality but the fifth-largest city in Taiwan.

And if you think those are reasons enough to visit the city – do not bother; it is boring.

When I told my Taiwanese friends that I would go to Taoyuan, every single one asked why and tried to discourage me.

The only reason one wants to go to Taoyuan is to go to the airport and leave the country – not for fun.

Canceled flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) in August 2020

Luckily, I was in Taoyuan for an afternoon only as a break from Taipei to Taichung, but even that afternoon felt like a waste – a boring place 💀.

Let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in Taoyuan City:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Taoyuan City

Fast speeds, for once, with GT Mobile Taiwan in Taoyuan City!

GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-slowest average download speed in Taoyuan City (66.53 Mbps), with the second slowest being T Star Taiwan (34.35 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Download at Taoyuan TRA Station Platform 1 in Taoyuan (93.8 Mbps)
Taoyuan TRA Station Platform 1 Taoyuan

For comparison, the best performer in Taoyuan City was Far EasTone, with an average download speed of 265.44 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-worst average upload speed (14.88 Mbps), with T Star Taiwan being the second-worst again in Taoyuan City (10.75 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 MRT Platform in Taoyuan (27.99 Mbps)
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 MRT Platform Taoyuan

Far EasTone outdid all the others in Taoyuan City (52.42 Mbps).


Taiwan Mobile Speed Test Results in Yilan County (Luodong Township, Yilan City & Yuanshan Township)

Yilan County Flag

Yilan County (宜蘭縣) is the eighth-largest county in Taiwan.

I stayed in Luodong Township (羅東), which is not bad (but I would not recommend anyone going there unless you are nearby).

Yilan City is not too bad either – but it is far from exciting.

I only stayed in the area because the commute from Hualien to Taipei would take too long in one go (it is much faster nowadays).

Yilan City

Let's see how GT Mobile Taiwan performed in Yilan County:

GT Mobile Taiwan Speed Test Results in Yilan County

Decent speeds with GT Mobile in Yilan County.

GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-slowest average download speed in Yilan County (38.95 Mbps), with the second slowest being T Star Taiwan (25.71 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Download at Yilan Station in Yilan (122.67 Mbps)
Yilan Station Yilan

For comparison, the best performer in Yilan County was Far EasTone, with an average download speed of 125.61 Mbps.

In terms of uploading, GT Mobile Taiwan had the second-worst average upload speed (12.33 Mbps), with T Star Taiwan being the second-worst again in Yilan County (10.86 Mbps).

GT Mobile Taiwan Upload at Luna Plaza in Luodong & Yilan (14.90 Mbps)
Luna Plaza Luodong & Yilan

Far EasTone outdid all the others in Yilan County (35.24 Mbps).

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My Overall Experience with GT Mobile Taiwan – Is It Any Good?

I would not recommend GT Mobile Taiwan because there are way better options out there for comparable prices.

Phone Travel Wiz Disapproved Seal

At least getting a GT Mobile Taiwan SIM card was straightforward, and activation was quick.

GT Mobile Taiwan SIM Card Back

GT Mobile Taiwan has the worst 4G/LTE availability and reach in the country, but you will still have reception almost everywhere in Taiwan (but do not expect any coverage around and in the mountains).

But because GT Mobile Taiwan uses Far EasTone's 5G NR network, you will have access to the nation's most extensive 5G NR network.

Just like all Taiwanese SIM cards, GT Mobile Taiwan offers truly unlimited data-featured prepaid SIM cards to tourists, valid for 3 days to 180 days.

And when I say unlimited data, you can also use your phone as a hotspot (tether – for other phones or laptops) with no restrictions.

With the exception of the 5G Traveler SIM cards – they feature unlimited data too, but hotspot data is restricted to up to 7 GB).

I had slow to decent speeds with GT Mobile Taiwan.

When taking all the 101 speed tests into account, I had an average download speed of 36.94 Mbps and a median download speed of 33.89 Mbps with Taiwan Mobile.

The fastest download speed I managed to get with Taiwan Mobile was at Yilan Station (122.67 Mbps).

In comparison, the fastest speed I got anywhere in Taiwan was with Far EasTone, around 430 Mbps at the airport – and that was on 4G/LTE!

But with the newly introduced 5G NR tourist SIM cards, I believe I will have much faster speeds with GT Mobile when I try its SIM cards again later this year.

While GT Mobile Taiwan has extensive coverage and unlimited data plans, your speeds will be slow most of the times.

If speed is important, you are better off getting another Taiwanese SIM card than GT Mobile Taiwan's.

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Taiwanese SIM Card Reviews

As mentioned earlier, I also tried out Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, T Star Taiwan & Ibon Mobile when I was in Taiwan.

You should read those reviews too.

>>> Chunghwa Telecom Review | Taiwan Mobile Review | Far EasTone Review | T Star Taiwan Review | Ibon Mobile Review <<<

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Later, I will make a comparison post of the six Taiwanese SIM cards I tried… but that will take a while (I have many reviews of other countries that I still need to write, so they are prioritized).

But you can still make an educated purchased after reading the Taiwanese SIM card reviews.

Check out my reviews page if you want to read all the other reviews I have written, including other Asian SIM cards.

Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, T Star, GT Mobile & Ibon Mobile SIM Cards Held by Adu from Phone Travel Wiz

Taiwan SIM Card Buying Guide

There are five other SIM cards to choose from in Taiwan besides GT Mobile Taiwan.

I analyze and discuss them in-depth in my Taiwan SIM card buying guide.

Buying a SIM Card in Taiwan Guide (logos of Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone, T Star, GT Mobile & Ibon Mobile)