The nation's telecoms regulator, the National Communications Commission (NCC), will stop accepting applications to bid for a next-generation Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) licenses at the close of business today.
WiMAX is a wireless digital communications system that can transfer data at speeds much faster than other technologies.
Fourteen companies from different industry sectors have expressed an interest in the auction of six regional licenses to offer high-speed wireless services, NCC chairman Su Yeong-chin (蘇永欽) said last month at a WiMAX forum in Taipei.
After the first round of applications for the six WiMAX licenses closes today, selected firms will take part in an auction for the permits next month.
The NCC will award three licenses in the north and three in the south of the nation, with one license in each region reserved for a new entrant to the telecommunications market.
Among the firms interested are Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), the nation's biggest telecoms operator, and home appliances maker Tatung Co (大同).
US chip maker Intel Corp is also thought to be interested in taking a share of the nation's WiMAX market in a collaboration with local telecoms company First International Telecom Corp (大眾電信).
Last week, Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd (和記電訊), controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing (
additional reporting by Bloomberg
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