The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday asked Taiwan Mobile’s management to explain next week why it has been offering services using the excess bandwidth in frequency bands below 1 Gigahertz (GHz) past Sunday’s deadline, after the commission had twice denied the company’s request for an extension.
The nation’s three large telecoms are permitted to have no more than 50 megahertz (MHz) in frequency bands below 1GHz, which can produce radio waves that have higher penetration and diffraction capabilities and enable telecoms to broaden the service coverage of 5G systems.
Taiwan Mobile obtained 60MHz in highly sought-after frequency bands due to its merger with Taiwan Star Telecom, which the commission approved last year on the condition that by Sunday Taiwan Mobile return the excess bandwidth of 10MHz to the government, or sell or transfer it to other telecoms.
Photo: Tsai Ssu-pei, Taipei Times
Taiwan Mobile challenged the NCC ruling at the High Court last year, saying that the excess bandwidth should not be returned to the government free of charge.
It also twice requested an extension to use the excess bandwidth, both of which were denied by the NCC.
The Ministry of Digital Affairs, which plans and regulates the use of frequency bands, yesterday told reporters that it has yet to receive Taiwan Mobile’s application to return the excess bandwidth, adding that it would work with the NCC to ensure that the telecom complies.
NCC officials said that they have ascertained that Taiwan Mobile has been using the excess bandwidth to provide services through three methods: using radio wave monitoring stations, dispatching personnel to conduct tests around base stations and administering inspections of the telecom’s network management center.
The telecom could be fined NT$500,000 to NT$5 million (US$15,322 to US$153,224) if it is determined to have contravened the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法) by failing to strictly adhere to the network construction plan it submitted to the NCC, commission officials said.
“The telecom would be given one more chance to make a statement before the commission makes a final ruling on the case,” the regulator said.
In other news, the NCC commissioners reached a unanimous decision to streamline evaluations of television channels, but the new rule does not apply to shopping networks, local channels or channels that produce news, financial news, stock market reports, children’s programs or X-rated content.
It would also not apply to channels that have records of breaching broadcast media regulations in the first three years of the licensing period.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS