Taiwan's First 'Mobile Network Throttling Drill' Concludes Successfully; Executive Yuan Confirms No Impact on Police, Fire, Medical, or Utilities

The Executive Yuan announced today (10th) that in coordination with the '2026 Urban Resilience (Air Defense) Exercise,' the nation's first mobile communication network throttling drill was conducted from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM today in seven central counties and cities: Taichung City, Miaoli County, Nantou County, Changhua County, Yunlin County, Chiayi City, and Chiayi County.

On the first day of the drill, it was confirmed that essential public services such as police, fire, and emergency medical services operated normally without disruption from the mobile network throttling. Government GSN fixed-line networks, medical institution fixed lines and Wi-Fi, as well as critical infrastructure including water, electricity, and fuel, were all unaffected.

At 10:00 AM, the Executive Yuan established a cross-ministerial emergency response center at the Taipei Station Joint Disaster Prevention Center, with Minister without Portfolio Chi Lien-cheng serving as commander. The center coordinated central ministries and maintained real-time video links with local governments to monitor the operational status of communications, police and fire services, healthcare, transportation, finance, and essential public services throughout the drill. After the exercise concluded, all local governments and relevant ministries immediately verified the functionality of communication systems and services. The drill concluded smoothly at 3:00 PM, with all systems restored to normal. The cross-ministerial response center was disbanded at 3:20 PM after completing its mission.

This throttling drill was implemented by telecom operators limiting traffic through the core network, reducing mobile download speeds to 256KB. This simulated scenarios of limited communication resources during major disasters or wartime, while simultaneously verifying the backup capabilities of government and essential public services. During the drill, each response unit activated and reviewed emergency and backup mechanisms, including mobile base stations, low-orbit satellites, microwave, and radio communications. Government GSN fixed lines, medical institution networks, and Wi-Fi remained fully functional, and critical infrastructure such as water, electricity, and fuel were unaffected.

The Executive Yuan further stated that after the air defense drill concluded at 3:00 PM, Commander Chi Lien-cheng conducted a final review with central agencies and held video conferences with local governments, confirming that police, fire, and emergency medical services continued to operate normally without impact from the throttling. According to the National Police Agency, there were 243 emergency calls (110) in central Taiwan during the drill, along with 6 video app reports and 5 SMS reports—no significant anomalies compared to the same period last year. The Fire Agency reported a slightly higher number of rescue and medical cases than the average per half-hour last year, but considering that daytime incidents are naturally higher than nighttime, the overall volume remained within normal range. Emergency calls (119) remained fully functional throughout, and backup communication systems such as low-orbit satellites, microwave, and radio operated normally across local governments. Medical institutions maintained operations via fixed lines, Wi-Fi, and existing backup systems, with no impact on emergency medical services.

The Executive Yuan emphasized that the purpose of this drill was not merely to test 'slower internet,' but to conduct a stress test under near-extreme conditions to verify whether government command systems, emergency services, and critical public services can continue operating when mobile communication resources are constrained, and whether backup communication mechanisms can be activated promptly. This marks Taiwan’s first actual mobile network throttling during an air defense drill, using real-world conditions to identify issues, validate backup systems, and continuously improve national communication resilience and societal preparedness. The Executive Yuan will compile and review today’s drill outcomes to inform the upcoming northern region drill on August 13 and future policy refinements.

The Executive Yuan expressed gratitude to the citizens of the seven central counties and cities for their understanding and cooperation. Stable government operations and public services during major disasters or extreme scenarios depend on thorough preparation and nationwide participation. By identifying issues in advance and building robust backup capabilities through drills, the impact on citizens’ lives can be minimized during actual crises. The Executive Yuan will continue to prioritize uninterrupted public services and citizen rights, strengthen central-local coordination, and enhance communication backup systems to continuously improve national disaster resilience and urban preparedness.