Taipei, April 1, 2010 (CENS)--The Executive Yuan, Taiwan`s Cabinet, is estimated to create an estimated NT$10 billion (US$312 million at US$1:NT$32) in demand for cloud-computing tools with its "Government Cloud", or "G Cloud", plan.

Under the plan, the Cabinet will combine the information systems in over 4,000 government organization around the island into two to three cloud-computing centers. Also, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is assessing the feasibility of opening one such center each at the island`s three science-based industrial parks, namely Hsinchu Science Park, Central Taiwan Science Park and Southern Taiwan Science Park.

G Cloud is part of the Cabinet`s organization overhauling project and is being planned by its Research, Evaluation and Development Commission. Senior commission officials pointed out that the government is indeed looking to set up cloud-computing capability in information centers in all government organizations. But they said the government has yet to determine the investment capital.

Senior government officials pointed out that South Korean and United States governments have combined information centers in all government organizations across the two countries into two to three centers and are deploying cloud-computing capability in these centers in hope of cutting down costs of software leasing.

Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd., Taiwan`s No.1 telecom carrier partly held by the government, yesterday said at a press release that it would help the government foster Taiwan`s cloud-computing industry with its Internet Data Centers (IDCs) spreading across the island. The company is building a center in Banchiao of Taipei County.

All cloud-computing services including software offer are provided on the Internet.

Industry watchers estimate the G Cloud plan to spend at least NT$10 billion on equipment. In a separate case, Chunghwa Telecom will build cloud computing capability into the Ministry of Finance`s tax-data system, which it has been contracted to overhaul at a cost of NT$3.1 billion (US$96 million).

(by Ken Liu)