Landline, or fixed-line, phones in Taiwan are run by the national monopoly Chunghwa Telecom and are only available with an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC). Expats staying for less than six months will wish to check mobile phone options in the next section.
Getting a land-line installed in your home or office requires an ARC and another form of identification, such as a passport, health insurance card etc.
You will also need a Taiwanese national to co-sign as a guarantor. The guarantor should be over twenty years old and have their own I.D. upon signing. Ideally choose a friend or work colleague: they should be able to comfortably assist you with any forms and the language barrier if your Chinese is not fluent.
The fee for setting up a land-line is approximately NT$3,000; although customers looking to have ADSL Internet installed simultaneously should be aware that this fee is waived upon signing a two year contract for the broadband service.
In addition you may need to purchase an actual handset. This can be done at almost any electronics outlet and usually costs less than the one offered by Chunghwa Telecom.
Line rental is charged at between NT$50-70 monthly for basic residential packages. Additional phone services can be purchased, such as conference calling, though monthly charges will apply. Off-peak call times are 23:00 - 08:00 Monday to Friday, and 12:00 Saturday to 08:00 Monday for weekends.
Bills can be paid online, and at convenience stores that handle utility payments.
The Chunghwa Telecom website in English has details of their full range of services.