Asia Express - Data Communications
WiMAX Development in Asia March 8-14
March 13, 2010
- Taiwan's NCC (National Communications Commission) has awarded the sixth WiMAX service license to FITEL, Central News Agency of Taiwan reported on March 10. FITEL is the last Taiwanese WiMAX carrier to obtain the license, following Tatung Telecom, Far EasTone Telecommunications, Global Mobile, VMAX Telecom, and Vee Telecom Multimedia. Thus far FITEL has deployed 42 base stations in Hsinchu City of northern Taiwan, covering around 70% population of the city, meeting the minimum requirement stipulated by the NCC.

Meanwhile, Tatung Telecom, the first Taiwanese WiMAX carrier to move into commercial operations, is slated to launch commercial services in Hualien County and Pintung County on March 15, Economic Daily News reported on March 8. Tatung Telecom's WiMAX service license is for operations in southern Taiwan.

- India's BSNL has revealed the shortlist of four candidates for its WiMAX service franchise deal, India's Economic Times reported on March 11. The four companies are Teracom, Take Solutions, Adishwar India, and Ampoules & Auto. These candidates can be either companies registered in India for over two years or overseas WiMAX carriers. In the latter case, before signing the agreement with BSNL, the overseas carrier is required to submit a guaranty for the establishment of a wholly-owned company registered in India.