The government plans to budget NT$390 million (US$13.02 million) in subsidies to telecoms building base stations along more than 100 backcountry hiking trails, near several large mountain huts and along the South Link Line, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday.
The subsidies were proposed in line with the Executive Yuan’s policy of opening up the nation’s mountains and forests to visitors, the commission said, adding that one reason to improve communication quality in these areas is so that mountaineers can call 112 in an emergency.
The nation’s Telecommunication Universal Service Fund (電信普及服務基金) gives subsidies to telecoms that build infrastructure in remote townships — defined as areas where the population density is 20 percent lower than the national average, NCC Department of Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Director Cheng Ming-tsung (鄭明宗) said.
Photo: Chang Hsieh-sheng, Taipei Times
The five large mountain huts — Jiujiu Lodge (九九山莊), Tianchi Lodge (天池山莊), Kuaigu Lodge (檜谷山莊), Siangyang Cabin (向陽山屋) and Jiaminghu Cabin and Camping Ground (嘉明湖山屋) — and the 112 mountain trails where the base stations are to be built are more remote than such townships, Cheng said, adding that the locations are mainly accessed by mountaineers and rescuers.
Construction costs are expected to reach NT$180 million and no fund had previously covered building telecom infrastructure in these areas.
The South Link Line, part of the nation’s mass transportation system, has a few railway stations in mountainous areas that need base stations, Cheng said.
The government subsidies — to be funded by the Executive Yuan’s Secondary Reserve Fund — would cover 49 percent of the cost of building the base stations, Cheng said.
If the Executive Yuan only agrees to fund part of the subsidies, the commission would request its permission to use part of the Communication Supervision and Management Fund (通訊傳播監督管理基金) to cover the remainder, he said.
The Ministry of Education is coordinating the various government agencies implementing the policy to open up mountainous and forested areas, and the Forestry Bureau provided the list of mountain huts and trails, Cheng said.
The commission aims to add reception to the mountainous areas and improve reception along the South Link Line by the end of this year, Cheng said.
Last year, the government worked with telecoms to have a base station constructed on the north peak of Yushan (玉山) at a cost of NT$40 million.
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