Chunghwa Telecom Co (CHT, 中華電信) yesterday formed a 5G alliance with nearly 40 technology companies, research institutes and governing bodies to accelerate development and ensure that the nation is well-positioned to tap into opportunities from the next-generation mobile wireless network technology.
The TW5G Alliance aims to consolidate participants’ resources to develop new 5G solutions and services that could become a major driver of the nation’s exports, as well as promote industrial upgrading and transformation, CHT said.
The alliance hopes to begin commercial deployment of a 5G network by 2020, in time for the nation to be among the early movers in the global market, CHT chairman David Cheng (鄭優) said at a news conference.
“Although Taiwan might play a pivotal role in defining the 5G standard, gaining an early-mover advantage would go a long way in reaping export opportunities for local suppliers,” Cheng said.
CHT executive vice president Lin Kuo-feng (林國豐) outlined plans to begin building at least 10 5G cell towers to provide a test bed as the first 5G-capable smartphones and other devices begin appearing late this year or early next year.
These experimental networks would help alliance participants conduct 5G testing that would pave the way for integration with the existing 4G network between next year and 2020, Lin said.
Experimental 5G networks would be set up at the Taipei International Convention Center in Xinyi District (信義) and at the Taipei Music Center in Nangang District (南港), Lin said, adding that one or two experimental networks would also be set up in southern Taiwan.
In terms of small cell network architecture equipment, cloud computing hardware and software-defined networking solutions, the alliance has enlisted Zyxel Holding Corp (合勤控股), Accton Technology Corp (智邦科技) and Quanta Computer Inc (廣達), while Advantech Co (研華) and Adlink Technology Inc (凌華科技) would provide their expertise in the fields of industrial computing and healthcare to flesh out 5G applications.
While companies such as MediaTek Inc (聯發科) are forging ahead with designing 5G-capable smartphone chipsets, other local companies are also eyeing opportunities in content creation, virtual and augmented reality, and “smart” eyewear, Lin said.
The alliance has attracted the participation of the Industrial Technology Research Institute and the Institute for Information Industry, as well as more than 30 members of the Taiwan Association of Information and Communication Standards, which includes Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) and Sercomm Corp (中磊).
Meanwhile, Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信) and Asia Pacific Telecom Co (亞太電信), an affiliate of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), have told the Ministry of Economic Affairs of their intention to form separate 5G alliances.
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