Less than six months after the launch of 5G services, the number of users in Taiwan has surpassed 1 million, statistics released by the nation’s telecoms showed.
Taiwan in June issued its first 5G license to Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), and the company started its services in July.
Four other telecoms — Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信), Taiwan Mobile Co (台灣大哥大), Taiwan Star Telecom Corp (台灣之星) and Asia Pacific Telecom Co (亞太電信) — soon followed suit to start 5G services in the summer.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
Chunghwa Telecom said that its number of 5G subscribers has topped 300,000 and would likely rise to 500,000 by the end of this year.
Subscriptions to 5G services have exceeded the firm’s expectations, as it has previously aimed to sign up 300,000 users by the end of the year, the company said.
Chunghwa Telecom would invest more than NT$10 billion (US$351.62 million) next year to improve its mobile communication infrastructure, Chunghwa Telecom chairman Sheih Chi-mau (謝繼茂) said.
So far, Chunghwa Telecom has built more than 4,000 5G base stations, Sheih said.
Far EasTone has signed up about 300,000 5G subscribers since the launch of its services in July, topping the company’s expectations, the company said.
Far EasTone president Chee Ching (井琪) said that the company is determined to strengthen its 5G infrastructure to gain a greater market share.
Taiwan Mobile has also signed up about 300,000 5G users, exceeding its expectations of the number of people who quickly adopted the new technology, the company said.
Taiwan Mobile expects that 5G users would account for 15 to 20 percent of its total subscribers by the end of next year, Taiwan Mobile president Jamie Lin (林之晨) said.
Taiwan Star Telecom and Asia Pacific Telecom each signed up more than 100,000 5G subscribers, statistics released by the respective companies showed.
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