Asia Pacific Telecom (亞太電信) and Taiwan Mobile (台灣大哥大) were each fined NT$300,000 (US$9,494) for failing to report their 4G telecom service roaming alliance to the National Communications Commission (NCC) as required by administrative policy.
However, NCC spokesperson Yu Hsiao-cheng (虞孝成) said further punishments were likely, as the commission plans to address other telecommunication regulation violations committed by Asia Pacific.
The violations include the failure to build as many base stations as promised in its business plan and the unilateral decision to change the technology it would use for 4G service.
According to the NCC, the two telecoms signed an agreement on a roaming partnership on Sept. 25 last year. However, the agreement did not indicate the cost of such a partnership. The two later signed a supplementary agreement on Dec. 12 after agreeing on the cost of the partnership. Asia Pacific then submitted the details of the agreement to the commission on Dec. 17.
Yu said that Asia Pacific should have reported the deal to the commission within a month after the agreement was signed on Sept. 25, but the carrier argued it had fulfilled its legal requirement, as complete agreement was not reached until Dec. 12.
“It is customary in the industry for two telecoms to forge a roaming partnership without settling on an exact cost first,” Yu said. “It was decided that such agreement should be reported within one month after it is first signed; on Sept. 25 in this case. Each carrier was fined NT$300,000 for violating the Regulations Governing Mobile Telecommunications Businesses (行動寬頻業務管理規則).”
Yu said that Asia Pacific was supposed to build 2,000 base stations nationwide to offer 4G service; a promise listed in its business plan.
Furthermore, while Asia Pacific stated in its business plan that it would use the voice-over-LTE approach to offer voice service, it actually uses circuit-switched fallback.
Failure to fulfill the commitments stated in the telecom carrier’s business plan would cause it to be fined between NT$300,000 to NT$3 million, the NCC said.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS