The Taiwan Association of Information and Communication Standards (TAICS, 台灣資通產業標準協會) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance in a bid to boost Taiwan’s development of 5G technology.
“Signing this memorandum is just the first step to many more collaborations. This partnership will foster the growth of 5G adoption and help developing a new era of 5G,” TAICS chairman Jonathan Tsang (曾鏘聲) said.
“A global standard for network infrastructure and devices is needed by all enterprises and this is where the alliance and TAICS will work closely together,” alliance chief executive officer Peter Meissner said.
The alliance’s partners include more than 100 international telecom operators, such as Vodafone Group Inc, T-Mobile USA Inc and China Mobile (中國移動).
Members of TAICS, which was established in July last year, include the nation’s largest telecom operator, Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), integrated circuit designer MediaTek Inc (聯發科) and the world’s largest contract electronics maker, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密).
Tsang said the alliance’s telecom operators would be using 5G technology in the future, meaning they know more about what they want from the technology.
TAICS members are mostly hardware and technology suppliers, Tsang said, pointing out that the partnership with the alliance could build a communication bridge between the demand and supply sides of 5G technology.
“This [memorandum] is an opportunity for Taiwan to step on the international stage,” Tsang said.
Messier said Taiwan’s strength in information and communication technology and dynamic supply chain offers worldwide connectivity, which links well with the alliance’s role in driving 5G technology requirements within standard associations, such as TAICS, European Telecommunications Standards Institute and International Telecommunication Union.
Under the memorandum, the two parties are to share and exchange information, and codevelop the technology, Tsang said, adding that the agreement also includes sharing resources to promote 5G technology after it commercializes.
Tsang said that Taiwan had put a lot of effort in driving 3G and 4G technologies in the nation, but added that the results were not as good as expected.
“We have to admit that Taiwan is an island with limited resources. So we cannot be greedy and hope that we can set the 5G technology standard, but we can play a ‘critical minority’ role,” Tsang said.
He said that if Taiwan could have 3 percent to 5 percent say in the intellectual property rights of crucial network systems, then it can play an important role in the development of global 5G technology.
“Partnering with international players, such as the alliance, can help us demonstrate our strength among global companies,” Tsang said.
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