- Taiwanese WiMAX carrier Global Mobile plans to
procure 1,000 base stations in April 2010, according to a March 18 Commercial
Times report. The procurement project is valued at NT$2.0
billion (US$63.1 million; US$1=NT$31.7), and four vendors, including Nokia Siemens
Networks, Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola, have participated in the bid project.
Global Mobile's network deployment covers the greater Taipei region, Hsinchu
County, Yilan County, Taoyuan County, and Miaoli County. The company's overall
investment in network equipment is projected to amount to NT$3.5 billion (US$110.4
million).
In addition, Global Mobile announced on March 17
that it has formed strategic alliances with Leadtek Research, KCS Digital, and
SysJust for a wide range of wireless services such as mobile TV and Internet
TV. Moreover, Global Mobile plans to launch WiMAX-enabled VoIP service in the
second half of the year. The company expects to offer a flat rate for the
bundle of telephony and Internet services.
- Filipino WiMAX carrier Globe Telecom announced
on March 17 that it has added 85 WiMAX-ready sites in the province of Cebu,
bringing the total number of WiMAX sites in Cebu to 200, according to a Philippine Star report. Globe Telecom's WiMAX sites have covered the Metro Cebu region
and have extended to Danao in the south and Carcar in the north. Thus far,
Globe Telecom has accumulated a total of 4,000 WiMAX subscribers, around 90% of
which are in the Metro Cebu region. The company first launched its WiMAX
service in the provinces of Cebu and Central and Eastern Visayas in mid-2009.