Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), the nation’s biggest telecom, yesterday said it plans to invest more than NT$4.6 billion (US$139.2 million) in a new trans-Pacific fiber-optic submarine cable with global partners, with an aim to boost network resilience and to cope with rising demand from artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
The telecom’s new investment came amid caution over submarine cable security after several cables linked to Taiwan have been sabotaged by foreign freighters or natural causes since the beginning of this year.
The new subsea cable network, dubbed E2A, is to be developed and invested by a consortium that comprises Chunghwa Telecom, SK Broadband Co, Softbank Corp and Verizon Business Global LLC, Chunghwa Telecom said in a statement.
Photo: CNA
The E2A, spanning 12,500km, would significantly enhance digital connectivity between Asia and North America, providing a robust backbone for AI applications, data centers and cloud services, ensuring high-speed connectivity across the Pacific Ocean as well as intra-Asia, the statement said.
The new submarine cable is scheduled to be ready for service in the second half of 2028, the statement said.
“Chunghwa Telecom will continue to enhance its resilient network infrastructure by integrating submarine cables, fiber optics, mobile communications, satellites and microwave technologies — forming a comprehensive ‘Sea, Land, Sky, and Space’ network,” Chunghwa Telecom chairman Alex Chien (簡志誠) said in the statement.
“Leveraging Taiwan’s strategic position as an Asia-Pacific information hub, we aim to attract international operators to establish a presence in Taiwan, further advancing AI-driven innovations and co-creation services to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” he said.
Crossing the Pacific Ocean, the E2A cable system would connect major digital hubs in Asia and North America, with landings in Yilan County’s Toucheng Township (頭城), South Korea’s Busan, Japan’s Chiba and Morro Bay in California, the statement said.
The cable would also connect with other upcoming cables in Taiwan, such as the SJC2 and Apricot, enabling diverse connectivity options, Chunghwa Telecom said.
This would strengthen Taiwan’s position as a key submarine cable hub in the Asia-Pacific region, it said.
It would further enhance the company’s overall network resilience, in addition to providing sufficient bandwidth to meet demand, it added.
The total cost of the submarine cable would be shared by all parties of the consortium, Chunghwa Telecom said.
The company has so far invested in more than 30 global submarine cables, with about 14 of them landing in Taiwan, it said.
The company has budgeted NT$32.36 billion for capital expenditure this year, up 12.3 percent from NT$28.82 billion last year.
Non-mobile capital expenditure is to increase 25.2 percent to NT$23.98 billion this year as Chunghwa Telecom aims to fund its investments in AI, data centers and new submarine cables, it added.
Taiwan yesterday denied Chinese allegations that its military was behind a cyberattack on a technology company in Guangzhou, after city authorities issued warrants for 20 suspects. The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau earlier yesterday issued warrants for 20 people it identified as members of the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM). The bureau alleged they were behind a May 20 cyberattack targeting the backend system of a self-service facility at the company. “ICEFCOM, under Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, directed the illegal attack,” the warrant says. The bureau placed a bounty of 10,000 yuan (US$1,392) on each of the 20 people named in
A Chinese aircraft carrier group entered Japan’s economic waters over the weekend, before exiting to conduct drills involving fighter jets, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said yesterday. The Liaoning aircraft carrier, two missile destroyers and one fast combat supply ship sailed about 300km southwest of Japan’s easternmost island of Minamitori on Saturday, a ministry statement said. It was the first time a Chinese aircraft carrier had entered that part of Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a ministry spokesman said. “We think the Chinese military is trying to improve its operational capability and ability to conduct operations in distant areas,” the spokesman said. China’s growing
The High Court yesterday found a New Taipei City woman guilty of charges related to helping Beijing secure surrender agreements from military service members. Lee Huei-hsin (李慧馨) was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for breaching the National Security Act (國家安全法), making illegal compacts with government employees and bribery, the court said. The verdict is final. Lee, the manager of a temple in the city’s Lujhou District (蘆洲), was accused of arranging for eight service members to make surrender pledges to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in exchange for money, the court said. The pledges, which required them to provide identification
Nine retired generals from Taiwan, Japan and the US have been invited to participate in a tabletop exercise hosted by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation tomorrow and Wednesday that simulates a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan in 2030, the foundation said yesterday. The five retired Taiwanese generals would include retired admiral Lee Hsi-min (李喜明), joined by retired US Navy admiral Michael Mullen and former chief of staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces general Shigeru Iwasaki, it said. The simulation aims to offer strategic insights into regional security and peace in the Taiwan Strait, it added. Foundation chair Huang Huang-hsiung
RSS