Historic First Speed Reduction Drill Arrives! Transfers, Mobile Payments, and High-Speed/TRA Train Rides Affected on These 2 Days – Full Impact Zones Across 14 Counties/Cities Revealed

Attention to those who rely on smartphones for daily tasks: As part of urban resilience exercises, Taiwan will conduct its first-ever mobile network speed reduction test. The drill will take place on August 10 and 13, from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM, affecting up to 14 counties and cities nationwide. During this period, network services will not be completely shut down, but mobile data transmission speeds will be regulated, potentially causing slower connections, delayed responses, and longer loading times. Users are advised to stay alert and prepare in advance.

The speed reduction drill will be implemented in phases by region. On August 10, it will begin in seven counties and cities in central Taiwan, followed by northern regions on August 13. During the 30-minute drill, high-data-usage services such as video calls, online streaming, cloud file transfers, and mobile payments may experience operational delays or prolonged loading times.

Will mobile payments and boarding be affected? Prepare cash, cards, and e-tickets in advance for safety.

For users who typically leave home without wallets and rely solely on smartphones for transactions, mobile payment platforms like LINE Pay, JKO Pay, Taiwan Pay, and Pi Wallet may face verification delays or failure to load payment pages during the drill. These services heavily depend on stable network connections. If you have shopping or dining plans on drill days, it’s advisable to carry small amounts of cash or physical credit cards as backup. Note that some payment tools use time-sensitive dynamic QR codes—taking a screenshot of the payment screen in advance does not guarantee successful scanning. Traditional payment methods remain the most reliable.

Travelers planning to use public transportation should also take precautions. If you intend to ride the THSR (High-Speed Rail) or TRA (Taiwan Railways Administration) during the drill window, complete ticket purchases, collection, and e-ticket downloads before departure. Avoid last-minute delays at station entrances due to slow connectivity. Carrying physical transit cards like EasyCard or iPASS, or using paper tickets, are excellent backup options to ensure smooth entry.

How to protect work files and maps? Download offline data in advance and avoid critical transactions during the 30-minute window.

To mitigate potential gaps in real-time communication and data access, pre-downloading essential information is the best strategy. On the eve of the drill, save offline maps, key contact lists, work documents, and restaurant or hotel reservation records directly to your phone’s internal storage. This ensures smooth access even if mobile speeds are limited during the drill.

For office workers and investors, the drill coincides with regular business and trading hours. If you have scheduled video conferences, large file uploads, cloud backups, stock trades, or online bank transfers—activities highly dependent on stable internet—consider avoiding the 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM window. If you must work during this period, verify in advance that your home or office fixed broadband and Wi-Fi are functioning properly, and use wired connections as a backup.

Where to check civil defense shelter information? Save clinic registration details via screenshots for peace of mind.

Since this speed reduction is part of an urban resilience exercise, the National Communications Commission (NCC) advises the public to confirm the locations of nearby civil defense shelters before the drill and save the maps to their phones. Additionally, identify nearby locations offering fixed broadband, public Wi-Fi, or landline phones to prepare for communication fallback options.

Patients with medical appointments on drill days do not need to cancel. All healthcare services will operate normally. However, if your registration proof, clinic number, or medical records are stored in the cloud or a medical app, take screenshots or save copies before leaving home. This allows you to quickly present them to medical staff upon arrival.