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.
After several years flying high as Asia’s best Nvidia Corp proxy, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is increasingly vying with other artificial intelligence (AI) stocks for investor attention. Stock traders are chasing a wider array of beneficiaries as mainstream usage of AI creates demand for hardware beyond the most-advanced chips TSMC makes for Nvidia. Subthemes from the deepening memory crunch to advances in robotics are also luring bids. At the same time, investment caps on single stocks are pushing funds to diversify, while retail investors long familiar with TSMC through its US depositary receipts are being offered a broader set of
UNDER MICROSCOPE: Taiwan detained three people who allegedly conspired to buy servers in Taiwan and export them using fraudulent documentation, prosecutors said Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) on Saturday urged Super Micro Computer Inc to tighten up on compliance after Taiwan detained three people this week for allegedly making fraudulent declarations about artificial intelligence (AI) servers made by its US partner. The development marked the nation’s first crackdown on semiconductor smuggling, which grew after the US slapped restrictions on exports of high-end chips such as Nvidia AI accelerators to China. Nvidia is “rigorous” in explaining regulations to all of its partners, Huang told reporters after arriving in Taipei. “Ultimately Super Micro has to run their own company,” he said in response to
TECH RELIANCE: Growth is increasingly reflecting an unequal K-shaped distribution, where technology sectors outperform and other industries struggle, an expert said Standard Chartered Bank has significantly raised its forecast for Taiwan’s economic growth to 9.5 percent this year, up from 7.6 percent previously, citing surging artificial intelligence (AI) demand driving exports, semiconductor production and investment. The upgrade reflects a sustained AI supercycle that continues to fuel demand for advanced chips and technology infrastructure, which form the backbone of Taiwan’s exports, the bank said in a report this week. “We raise our 2026 growth forecast to reflect a much stronger-than-expected first-quarter GDP figure,” Standard Chartered senior economist for greater China and Asia Tommy Wu (胡東安) said in the report. Driven largely by a 35.3 percent
Two of Taiwan’s international carriers, Starlux Airlines Co (星宇航空) and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空), have retained the five-star airline rating awarded by international airline review organization Skytrax. Starlux was awarded the distinction for a second consecutive year, while EVA Air received it for the 11th straight year, Skytrax said in statements released yesterday and on Thursday last week, respectively. The five-star rating is considered one of the airline industry's highest honors and is awarded following professional audits of airline product and frontline service standards, Skytrax said. The ratings are based on in-depth assessments using unified global quality standards rather than customer review scores
RSS