Tatung to Provide WiMAX Service in Q1, 2009

Taipei, Nov. 21, 2008 (CENS)--Tatung InforComm Co. plans to begin offering WiMAX services in the first quarter of 2009, making it the first Taiwanese WiMAX provider to launch the service.

The National Communications Commission (NCC), Taiwan's communications service regulator, recently issued Tatung InforComm the island's first franchise license for operating wideband access (WBA) service using WiMAX technology on grounds that the company's signal coverage has reached 70% of the population in Penghu County off the Taiwan mainland.

Tatung is one of the island's six qualified WiMAX service providers, who won qualification certifications from NCC last year. The other five are VMAX Telecom Co., Ltd., Vestar Cable TV Network Co., Ltd., First International Telecom Corp., Far EasTone Telecom Co., Ltd. and Global Mobile Corp.

Tatung will begin offering the service in Penghu next quarter and is estimated to charge subscribers less than NT$1,000 (US$30 at US$1:NT$33) as monthly rate for the wireless broadband connection. Its service is expected to reach Kaohsiung City in the middle of next year as well as Kaohsiung County, Pingdong County and Hualien County in the second half next year.

NCC officials pointed out that WiMAX service would primarily challenge 3.5-generation wireless service. In September alone, the island's 3.5-G subscribers increased 400,000 from a month earlier.

Tatung is in talks with First International, VMAX and Global Mobile over partnership on offering island-wide roaming.