Taiwan's 5G Strategy Stresses Niches

The Board of Science and Technology of the Taiwan Cabinet announced that the government's 5G industry strategy will pursue exploring the island's niches rather than the shotgun approach adopted by 5G powerhouses including Samsung Electronics.

The board announced the industry strategy on Jan. 24 after an intra-government meeting. Minister without portfolio S.C. Chang is designated by the Cabinet to take charge of the island's 5G policy.

Chang portrayed Taiwan's 5G strategy as “targeting trees rather than forest” to refer to the idea of developing only niche applications on a 5G handset, such as navigation and healthcare apps, stressing that the island's manufacturers can hardly compete with big multinationals like Samsung and Apple in developing all apps on a phone.

Also, he felt that in the 5G arena Taiwan should capitalize on its established advantage in the manufacturing of end-user products, such as handsets, small cell towers, chips, and app service, tapping the market for network infrastructure equipment dominated by international players.

Chang said that Taiwan's manufacturers need not form flagship ventures individually but rely on teamwork, with academic circles to research and develop new technologies according to industry needs, and then commercialize such products at government-funded incubators.

Deputy Minister Y.P. Lin of the National Science Council (NSC) felt that Taiwan's 5G industry can focus on the development of wearable computing devices and crucial intellectual properties (IPs). And the island's telecom carriers can foster locally- specific-application industry by connecting application developers to the cloud with 4G and 5G networks.

Vice Economic Minister Woody Duh said Taiwan's 5G development should center on application service, self-sufficient technologies, and test fields, and to develop industry standards and IPs in some sub areas of the industry.

Chairman of the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA), T.C. Gou, advised the government to plan a 5G spectrum that is compatible with that in major economies, namely China, and industry need. (KL)