Originally Posted by
dtsm
1. You can't do wifi calling on cellular data, LOL!
2. FaceTime is hit and miss because it includes video. But Line, WhatsApp, WeChat and FB all work fine for voice. And when on our North Europe Baltic cruise in May, the Mrs. was able to FaceTime back home for over 1 hr while giving a guided tour of our cruise ship. So YMMV
I'm not up-to-date, are the prepaids data package LTE or 3G speed?
Originally Posted by
AnalogMan
I used WiFi calling loosely to mean VOIP. Depending on the application/codec, there are different bandwidth requirements. The bandwidth available on the free data roaming also varies. So I just meant to manage expectations on it may or may not work.
There are now prepaid LTE SIMs from the three big carriers in Taiwan.
Well, we'll flying KE via ICN to TPE over the Labor Day weekend, going to pickup a local p/p Sim card first @Incheon AP, if we could - with 5+ hour layover - for use the following week (as we will spend a week later but landing late & won't want to stopping at the airport shops again). The twin nieces & aunt all got T-Mo Simple Choice, so they can call home on whatever cheaply & will have "slow" data on their iPhone 6's & Androids - not renting a MiFi although it's relatively cheap for the week but with a 6 hours rating, skipping it.
I still remember Moto Q's "Edge" days, mobile browsing & maps for direction was functional, just a bit slow - while abroad. Same p/p Sim card now & system upgraded to 3G/4G speed and will have that oversea # for roaming voice call & SMS, about 75 cents/min in TW and $1.5 (USD) in SK - for incoming "emergencies" or more importantly "urgent" messages ... about their family dog
Been looking at LTE bands, both TW & SK and both Nexus 5 (extra unlocked bands, thanks to XDA Developer's) and the iPhone 5s will function fine as a hotspot - the iPad mini's will either connect to the hotel's free WiFi or thru it. Hangouts & Skype should be easy in TW and maybe a bit less for Incheon - but, this is supposed to be a vacation, not nightly data sessions or FB uploading - so, should be fine.
Packing enough & extra gadgets in the usual EC packing tube to deal with, hopefully, any & all surprises - should be a fun exercise on discovering these APPs that we've all taken for granted. Hangouts just updated theirs for Android as well as iOS, so it will be cool to see that abroad. Now, I will just have to remember to alert/notify the CC's care center to note the travel plan in case I need to do online purchase or fund those accounts, etc. to not block it for early fraud prevention.
Thanks all for sharing the info - will update our experience afterward. Meanwhile, the twins are super excited & looking forward to the trip - had to explain to them what's jetlag & tips on survivivng a 14 hour TPAC flight in Y, at least it's 33" or 34" seat pitch & that's fine in leg rooms for them.