Former APT SIM Cards to End Service by End of March; Users Urged to Replace SIM Cards to Avoid Disruption FET Reminder: Visit Retail Stores for Free SIM Card Replacement While Retaining Original Contract Rights

As Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET) completes the second phase of its network integration, SIM cards issued by the former Asia Pacific Telecom (APT) will cease to provide mobile services starting at 00:00 on April 1, 2026, with affected mobile numbers temporarily suspended. FET once again warmly reminds users who have not yet replaced their APT SIM cards to visit FET retail stores as soon as possible for a free SIM card replacement, ensuring uninterrupted communication while retaining their original contract rights.

FET and APT officially merged on December 15, 2023, after which New FET launched a two-phase network integration plan. The first phase, which focused on base station integration, was completed ahead of schedule by the end of January 2024. As a result, network coverage for former APT users expanded from more than 6,000 base stations to over 10,000, nearly doubling coverage and significantly improving both indoor and outdoor network performance.

Over the past two years, FET has maintained the operation of two separate network infrastructures and has now successfully completed the second phase of network integration and system upgrades. As the network systems of FET and former APT differ, once the former APT core network completes its phased integration role and is decommissioned, users must replace their SIM cards in order to continue accessing mobile services.

FET has proactively and repeatedly notified users of the SIM card replacement through multiple channels, including dedicated phone calls and SMS messages. In March alone, each user who had not yet completed the replacement received at least five SMS reminders. In addition, FET issued two rounds of printed notification letters in August and December last year. Reminders have also been consistently displayed on the FET official website, the former APT official website, and monthly billing statements.

As the service termination date for former APT SIM cards approaches, FET urges users to complete their SIM card replacement by no later than 8:00 p.m. on March 31 to ensure uninterrupted service. Users who miss the deadline and experience service suspension may face at least one day without network access, with service restoration available starting April 2 upon visiting a FET retail store.

In strict compliance with the competent authority’s KYC (Know Your Customer) regulations, users are required to personally visit an FET retail store to replace their SIM cards and present two original forms of identification for verification, of which the operator will retain a photocopy or image file. Users taking advantage of the free SIM card replacement may continue their existing contracts, or choose from a variety of other available tariff plans.

Advertorial by FET