Vmax Telecom, a WiMAX licensee for the region of northern Taiwan, plans to launch commercial WiMAX service in the third quarter of 2008 and is therefore expected to become the first Taiwanese WiMAX operator to do so, Taiwan's United Daily News reported.

A joint venture between local telecom operator Vibo and equipment maker Tecom, Vmax Telecom expects to complete the construction of 15 WiMAX base stations in northern Taiwan by the end of March 2008. Overall, 100 base stations planned for Vmax's first-phase network establishment are slated for completion by the end of June 2008, representing 70% coverage. Afterwards, the company plans to construct up to 500 base stations by year-end 2008 and expects to attain a subscriber base of around 30,000 by then.

In addition, Vmax Telecom also projects a capital increase of NT$500 million (US$16.3 million; US$1=NT$30.6) by December 2008, according to the same report.