HiNet Review 2026. Is hinet.net good web hosting in Taiwan?

📄 Editorial Review

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⇔ Redirected domains: chtglobal.com cht.com.tw
HiNet is the internet and data-services brand of Chunghwa Telecom (cht.com.tw), Taiwan’s largest integrated telecommunications operator. This is not a small independent web hosting provider, but part of a national telecom group with fixed-line, mobile, broadband, internet, cloud, cybersecurity, IDC, and enterprise ICT operations. Chunghwa Telecom was formed in 1996 and privatized in 2005, giving HiNet a much stronger infrastructure background than most low-cost shared hosting companies.

The most important current update is that hiHosting, HiNet’s traditional shared web hosting service, is scheduled for termination on June 30, 2026. New applications, renewals, and payment-method changes have already stopped. Because of this, HiNet should no longer be considered a normal long-term shared hosting choice for new websites. Existing hiHosting users need to plan migration before the final shutdown date, while new customers are better matched with hicloud, domain/DNS services, hiBox email, or other Chunghwa Telecom ICT products.

Historically, hiHosting covered both Windows and Linux shared hosting. Windows hosting used Windows Server 2022, IIS 10, MS SQL Server 2019, Access database support, ASP, ASP.NET, .NET Core, JavaScript, CSS, jQuery, AJAX, HTML5, and MVC. Linux hosting used CentOS 7 / AlmaLinux 9.4, Apache 2.4, PHP 8.3, MariaDB 10.6, phpMyAdmin, Node.js, Perl CGI, CGI-BIN, and CMS support for WordPress, Discuz!, Drupal, XOOPS, and Joomla. SSL support, FTP upload, shared fixed IP, IPv6 support, HiNet IDC DNS, daily and weekly backups, malware scanning, patching, firewall control, and Plesk administration were part of the hosting environment.

The current hosting-oriented direction is stronger on the cloud and enterprise infrastructure side. hicloud includes CaaS cloud servers, CVPC cloud environments, S3 object storage, backup options, load balancing, and security-related cloud services. This makes HiNet more suitable for Taiwan-focused businesses needing local cloud infrastructure, networking, and telecom-grade service continuity than for beginners wanting a simple shared hosting checkout.

HiNet also remains relevant for domain registration, DNS hosting, Pro DNS, DNSSEC DS settings, IPv6 website activation, WHOIS-related services, and domain management. Their domain service covers Taiwan and international domains, with add-ons such as domain security lock and green-domain certification. Website language availability is mainly Traditional Chinese, with some English corporate and hicloud information. Product pricing is mostly in New Taiwan dollars (TWD / NT$).

💰 Price & Cost

Legacy hiHosting pricing was organized around monthly and yearly billing. Smaller New Office / starter-style plans ranged from 1 GB to 5 GB of web space, with traffic from 100 GB to 300 GB, and monthly prices from around NT$300 to NT$700. Larger Plus / expanded-space plans ranged from 6 GB to 576 GB, with traffic from 400 GB to 24 TB, and monthly prices from around NT$800 to NT$60,000. Database capacity was priced separately for MSSQL or MySQL/MariaDB, which made the service more modular but also less straightforward than many modern all-inclusive shared hosting packages.

The previous hosting model included monthly and annual payment options. Some annual plans waived setup fees, while monthly billing could include a NT$1,500 setup fee. A 30-day trial/non-billing period existed from service activation for hiHosting, but this is not the same as a standard modern money-back guarantee. For existing hiHosting customers, the service termination date is now more important than legacy plan pricing.

Domain services support credit card, ATM transfer, and bank wire / bank remittance style payments. Convenience-store payment was discontinued from late 2024. Domain pricing varies by extension and registration period; examples include Taiwan domains such as .com.tw / .net.tw around NT$800 for 1 year, .idv.tw around NT$400 for 1 year, and international domains such as .com in the high hundreds of NT dollars per year, depending on the latest pricing table and international-domain adjustments.

For cloud services, hicloud uses product-specific and usage-based pricing. S3 storage is calculated per GB, while CaaS/CVPC cloud servers depend on region, CPU/RAM profile, operating system, storage, backup, network, and related add-ons. This pricing style is better for businesses that can estimate infrastructure usage than for customers looking for a fixed-price beginner hosting plan.

🏢 Data Center

HiNet’s biggest technical advantage is Chunghwa Telecom’s own telecom and IDC backbone. Hosting, cloud, DNS, and enterprise services are connected to HiNet/Chunghwa Telecom infrastructure rather than relying only on third-party reseller hosting arrangements.

The Taipei Xinyi IDC is one of the strongest infrastructure examples behind the brand. It follows a Tier III design, is located in Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, and connects to HiNet / HiLink backbone nodes and data center interconnect services. The facility includes multiple buildings, around 3,000 racks, 7x24 smart-hands capability, 7x24 security, surveillance, card and biometric access control, VESDA fire detection, gas fire suppression, N+1 generator design, 2N UPS architecture, and ISO-related certifications such as ISO 27001 / ISO 27011.

For hiHosting, the infrastructure included HiNet IDC machine rooms, direct HiNet backbone connectivity, virtualized resource management, dual-circuit redundant UPS systems, enterprise-grade servers and NAS storage, hardware firewall control, CHT SOC monitoring, 24-hour security, video monitoring, biometric access control, VESDA early-warning fire detection, and NAF gas fire suppression.

Network-wise, HiNet is associated with AS3462, Chunghwa Telecom / Data Communication Business Group. This is a major Taiwan network with a large IPv4/IPv6 footprint, strong domestic reach, and international connectivity. For Taiwan-focused websites, local enterprise applications, DNS services, and cloud projects, this network position is one of HiNet’s clearest strengths.

A simple retail 99.9% uptime guarantee is not the main selling point for the current product direction, and a clear shared-hosting SLA percentage is not the safest point to rely on now that hiHosting is being retired. Customers needing contractual uptime should request formal SLA terms for the specific hicloud, IDC, or enterprise service they plan to use.

✍️ Customer Support

Support is stronger than average because HiNet sits inside Chunghwa Telecom’s national service structure. Legacy hiHosting included 24-hour support email and a 24-hour support phone line at 0800-080-365. Domain registration support also uses 0800-080-365, with service hours shown as 08:00–20:00 for the domain registration portal.

General Chunghwa Telecom support uses 0800-080-123 and 123 from Chunghwa fixed/mobile lines. For hosting and domain work, the process is more formal than at many modern hosting companies. Applications, ownership changes, password resets, payment matters, and some service changes may require forms, documents, email/fax submission, or identity verification. This is dependable for a telecom-style business environment, but less convenient for customers used to instant live chat and one-click hosting administration.

Available support channels include phone, email, service forms, FAQ pages, application downloads, and customer-service portals. Live chat is not a core support channel for the hosting line.

🔨 Control Panel

Legacy hiHosting used Plesk Obsidian 18 as the hosting management backend. Through Plesk and the service backend, customers could manage FTP accounts, website status, database creation, scheduled tasks, disk and database usage, domain mapping, traffic statistics, access logs, phpMyAdmin, and backup-related operations.

Domain customers use HiNet’s own domain registration and DNS management interfaces for domain applications, transfers, DNSSEC DS settings, IPv6 activation, Pro DNS, invoices, and DNS records. Cloud customers use the hicloud management environment rather than a cPanel-style shared hosting panel.

The correct control panel classification is mixed: Plesk for legacy shared hosting, and in-house Chunghwa / HiNet portals for domain, DNS, and cloud services.

🎯 Conclusion

HiNet is best understood as a Taiwan telecom-backed infrastructure provider, not as a modern budget shared hosting brand. Its strongest advantages are Chunghwa Telecom ownership, Taiwanese network depth, IDC facilities, AS3462 connectivity, domain/DNS services, enterprise cloud, and formal business support.

For new small websites, the hiHosting shutdown on June 30, 2026 is the decisive issue. New customers should not choose HiNet expecting a normal long-term shared hosting plan. Existing hiHosting users should migrate early and avoid waiting until the final termination period.

For Taiwanese businesses that need domains, DNS, enterprise email integration, cloud servers, object storage, local IDC presence, or telecom-grade infrastructure, HiNet still has real value. For customers who want quick global shared hosting, cPanel, low-cost WordPress plans, instant chat support, and simple refund guarantees, a specialist hosting provider will usually be easier.

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