Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) has teamed up with Sony Mobile Communications to offer more 4G-enabled phones and tablets ahead of the planned launch of Taiwan’s 4G long-term evolution (LTE) network in the second half of the year.
The partnership will boost Chunghwa Telecom’s LTE-ready devices to 15 — including four from Sony — for subscribers signing up for a 30-month contract that offers 5 gigabytes of data per month.
Chunghwa Telecom plans to sell at least 30 types of LTE devices this quarter to draw in subscribers from other carriers ahead of the launch of its LTE network later this year, said Lin Kuo-feng (林國豐), president of Chunghwa Telecom’s mobile business group.
“Sony’s competitive 4G products, from high-end to mid-range and entry-level price bands, will help upgrade our customers’ satisfaction with the 4G LTE network,” Lin said at a press conference.
The company has plans to purchase 2.3 million smartphones and tablets this year, of which 43 percent will be LTE models, he said.
He predicted that the penetration rate of LTE devices would reach 80 percent next year, when more affordable 4G products hit local shelves.
Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信) on Tuesday launched its own-branded mid-tier 4G smartphone to make inroads into the country’s new 700 megahertz (MHz) frequency.
Far EasTone said that more own-branded phones supporting the 700MHz frequency are to be released next month in partnership with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密).
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