Taiwanese consumers now have another option for the super-fast 4G wireless network with the launch yesterday of low-cost 4G services by Taiwan Star Telecom Corp (台灣之星), a subsidiary of conglomerate Ting Hsin International Group (頂新國際集團).
After obtaining its 4G license in October last year, Taiwan Star has begun commercial operation of its 4G services, which start from NT$599 per month for unlimited data transmission and free calls within Taiwan Star’s network with a two-year contract.
The low-cost data plan is part of the company’s promotional campaign for launching 4G services and it plans to continue it until October.
Photo: CNA
The nation’s three major 4G operators — Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), Taiwan Mobile Co (台灣大哥大) and Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信) — launched their 4G services in late May and early June respectively. However their contracts, which include free calls, cost at least NT$1,299 per month and allow unlimited data transmission for as long as six months.
Taiwan Star president Cliff Lai (賴弦五) said the company is aiming to get at least 250,000 subscribers for its 4G service by the end of this year, or a roughly 20 percent share of Taiwan’s 4G market, thanks to the company’s aggressive pricing strategy.
“Taiwan Star’s pricing packages definitely have the highest cost-performance ratio on the market,” Lai told a press conference.
However, he admitted that Taiwan Star is unlikely to turn a profit for the next two years due to its heavy initial spending on infrastructure and fierce competition.
He said Taiwan Star now has a 4G coverage of 85 percent in the nation, and he expects the figure to reach 96 percent by the end of the year.
Each of Taiwan’s three major carriers said they have signed up about 150,000 4G service subscribers over the past three months.
Last month, research firm IDC forecast Taiwan would have more than 1 million 4G LTE service subscribers by the end of this year.
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