Phone Service in Taiwan
Public phones are practically everywhere in Taiwan.
For directory assistance, Taipei's English-speaking information operator can be reached at (02) 311-6796. Many businesses are not listed through the operator though, so you may want to invest in the Taiwan English Yellow Pages, which you'll find advertised in the China Post.
Useful Telephone Numbers for English Speakers
- International Telephones: 100
- Telephone Information Service (Long-Distance): 105
- City Telephone Service: (02) 341-5123
- International Subscriber Dialing Information: (02) 321-2535
- Taipei operator: (02) 311-6796
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Calling Home
To place collect or person-to-person calls overseas, dial 100 for an international, English-speaking operator. The operator will ask for the number you're calling from and the number of the person you're trying to reach. You will then be asked to hang up and, once the connection has been made, the operator will call you back.
Collect and person-to-person calls are very expensive, so try calling direct or use one of the international callback companies listed in the introduction - both of these options are much cheaper. To dial direct, simply dial the country code , area code, and the number. If you have one of the following long-distance carriers, dial the appropriate access number and complete dialing instructions will follow or an operator will come on the line to assist you:
- AT&T: 008-010-2880
- MCI: 008-013-4567
- Sprint: 008-014-0877
- World Direct (Executive Telecard): 008-010-3175
- BC Tel, AGT, SaskTel, Manitoba Telephones, Bell Canada,
- New Brunswick Telephones, MT&T, and Island Telephones: 008-120-012
If you don't have access to a private phone, you can call from any of the Telecommunications Administration (ITA) offices in Taiwan. They are easy to use and are cheaper than using a calling card:
Northern Taiwan
Taipei Main Telecommunications Administration
(located near CKS Memorial)
28 Hang Chow South Road, Section 1
Taipei, Taiwan
(02) 344-3780
Hours: 24 hours a day, except Sundays and holidays
North Taipei Telecommunications Administration
162 Tunhua South Road, Section 2
Taipei, Taiwan
(02) 704-1340
Northern Taiwan Telecommunications Administration
42 Jen-ai Road, Section 1
Taipei, Taiwan
(02) 341-5123 or (080) 231-123
West Taipei Telecommunications Administration
116 Chung Hsiao West Road, Section 1
Taipei, Taiwan
(02) 314-0250
Central Taiwan
Central Taiwan Telecommunications Administration
37 Shihfu Road
Taichung, Taiwan
Southern Taiwan
Southern Taiwan Telecommunications Administration
18 Chihsien First Road
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
(07) 344-6611 or (080) 731-123
ITAs are also located at the airports.
Long-Distance Rates
Calling the United States and Canada from Taiwan is expensive. You can expect to pay around NT$300 for three minutes (station-to-station) or NT$400 for three minutes (person-to-person).
Fax Machines
Fax machines are an excellent, less expensive alternative to telephone calls. If your friends or parents have access to a fax machine, take their numbers; your employer in Taiwan may have a machine.
The ITA's Main Taipei Office has a fax, and they charge about NT$300 to send a one-page letter to the United States or Canada.
