MOEA signs MOU with WiMAX developers

November 9, 2007

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with five major telecom equipment companies to co-develop WiMAX technology and applications.

WiMAX, which stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a wireless technology that will increase Internet access at four to five times the speed of normal broadband.

The companies that signed the MOU include Alcatel-Lucent, Motorola, Nokia-Siemens Networks (NSN), Sprint-Nextel, and Starent Networks Corp. In May, the MOEA signed similar agreements with Intel, NEC, Nortel, and R&S.

Under the MOU, these companies will increase their procurement in Taiwan while developing WiMAX technology with Taiwan companies that will help improve Taiwan's international competitiveness in the WiMAX field.

The parties signed the MOU at the 2007 WiMAX Forum Showcase, which took place in Taipei in late October. In addition to these major telecom equipment makers, a number of local companies also participated, including First International Telecom, Tatung, Weida, Gemtek, Zyxel, and Tecom.

Under the MOU, Alactel-Lucent will work with Taiwanese companies to co-develop chipsets, terminal equipment and related components, and will form an interoperability testing (IOT) center in Taiwan.

Other areas of cooperation with the five companies include the development of base stations, terminal equipment, and global roaming services. In particular, NSN will provide testing services for local WiMAX equipment manufacturers while engaging in technology exchanges with Zyxel and Mediatek to roll out WiMAX products sooner, according to the Taipei Times.

WiMAX is being promoted as an important technology by the government, said Minister of Economic Affairs Steve Chen.  Taiwan has spent approximately USD 664 million on WiMAX development under the M-Taiwan plan -- the second highest investment amount in the world, said Chen.

Taiwan's WiMAX industry output is expected to reach an estimated NTD 140 billion by 2012, said Chen.

(Central News Agency, Taipei Times)

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