Using 3G iPhone in Taiwan

[bigblewwho]

So I landed in Taiwan yesterday and using my iPhone 3G overseas for the first time since getting it.

I was in Japan for a few hours on the layover and it works great there. Strong signal, data was fast and good. 3G popped on quickly, clear sound.

Landed in Taiwan, different situation. The 3G is connected, but it takes a while to get a call out and connect to the system. I have missed calls and gone straight to VM. Data is terrible and almost non-existant. I can't switch the network automatically to select a different one.

So, I'm not quite sure if it is the network or the equipment yet, still trying to figure that part out.

 

[nhw]

you should be able to use it in taiwan without any problems. btw, dont forget to go to the night markets! good food!

 

[bigblewwho]

Day 2 in Taiwan using it.

Phone calls are going directly to VM when calls are incoming from the US. Phone does not ring. I am using the Chunghwa Network right now and still can't switch to another.

I've turned off the data to save on some costs right now, but it seems to work when I did have it on. In trying to call out, there are issues. Long connection times and not even connected sometimes. Calling locally is becoming a pain too as you need to dial the whole country code and such to call locally instead of just dialing direct.

I did notice that the 3G indicator does not always appear on the home screen and, the phone does not show an idicator of going into another mode outside of 3G.

I guess it is safer to say, it's the unit itself. I do not see the network being the major issue, it would seem that the handset is the problem. More after today!

 

[wowotoe]

try this:

http://www.eprice.com.tw/mobile/news/?news_id=7817

 

[nhw]

try this:

http://www.eprice.com.tw/mobile/news/?news_id=7817

不錯哦. 但他不是要用他自己的 sim?

 

[bigblewwho]

Back now

So I'm back in the US now after having used it overseas for the first time. In testing it out in two countries this week, I have to say it is the unit itself and not the AT&T Network.

When I was in Japan, it works great on the NTT Docomo network. The signal is great, speed is great, etc. When I was in Taiwan, it was lame. I don't think the handset is picking up networks fast enough and able to get onto certain ones in certain countries.

Taiwan had slow connections, missed and dropped calls and would not find the 3G network and lock onto it. I had the roaming turned off as well and the bluetooth while I was over there to test the battery life; it still sucks. No data transfer, no push, no fetch, no bluetooth, and no WiFi search at all and the battery still did not last a full day.

I came back, updated the phone to 2.1 last night, and I don't see any difference in the network coverage. In fact, it seems to want to goto EDGE vs. 3G more than anything at this point. I am noticing that the phone is moving faster, meaning the applications are running smoother and such. But, it seems to be on E most of the time. Example, sitting in my house, where it used to be 3G all the time, is now on EDGE.

I'm going to say it, it's the phone. Why else would the 2.1 update state it has so many updates to the battery, signal, software, etc? Don't get me wrong, I still think the iPhone is a great unit and is sexy and all, but, perhaps it was rushed out to market way too early??

 

[MEG12]

Iphone in Taiwan

The problem in Taiwan is that the T-mobile, Far Eash, and Cheng..networks, even in 3g, do not work for data at all. Junk. Worthless. But if you are able to locate the Vibo 3g networks it works like a charm.

 

[CocoaPuffs]

It's quite possible that Taiwan simply doesn't support the same 3G technology as US and Japan, which is perhaps one of the reasons why they are not on the list of countries selling iPhone.