Chunghwa Telecom Co (CHT, 中華電信) yesterday became the nation’s first telecom to secure a 5G license after the National Communications Commission approved its application.
The license allows the nation’s largest telecom to build the new system using the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) and 28GHz frequency bands.
CHT has already built more than 250 cell sites, the required minimum to launch a 5G service, NCC spokesman Hsiao Chi-hung (蕭祈宏) said, adding that the commission reviewed the company’s business plan and information security plan, and inspected its facilities before issuing the license.
According to the Regulations for Administration of Mobile Broadband Businesses (行動寬頻業務管理規則), the telecom should launch a 5G service within six months of receiving the license.
“It can launch the service whenever it is ready,” Hsiao said.
CHT chairman Sheih Chi-mau (謝繼茂) told a shareholders’ meeting last week that the telecom could launch its 5G service on July 1.
Asked about CHT’s proposed monthly fees for its 5G service, the commission said it would be given such information after the telecom launches the service.
The company built a majority of its cell sites using the 3.5GHz frequency band, as the facilities developed for this frequency band were already available for use, the commission said.
The telecom’s cell sites are mainly located in the six special municipalities — Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung — it said.
Hsiao said that the NCC has also completed inspections of 5G facilities built by Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信), adding that it could secure a 5G license at the weekly commissioners’ meeting next week.
Taiwan Mobile Co (台灣大哥大) and Taiwan Star Telecom Co (台灣之星) are still building the base stations needed to launch a 5G service and have not had their facilities inspected by the NCC, he said.
The commission has yet to approve Asia Pacific Telecom Co’s (亞太電信) business plan, as it changed its plan to focus on the construction of a 5G system using the 28GHz frequency band, he added.
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