Taiwan Government: 8 Cos Qualify To Bid For WiMAX Licenses

TAIPEI -(Dow Jones)- Taiwan's telecommunications and broadcasting regulator said Tuesday eight companies had qualified to bid in the auction of six Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access licenses on the island.

The National Communications Commission said the companies that qualified to take part in the bidding for the WiMAX licenses are: Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone Telecommunications, Taiwan Digital Communications, which is a wholly-owned unit of Taiwan Mobile, home-appliance maker Tatung, First International Telecom, Vastar Cable TV System, Global On, and a joint venture by telecom equipment maker Tecom and local mobile phone operator VIBO Telecom.

The government received 13 applications for the WiMAX licenses. It expects to award the six-year licenses, which will be split evenly between the northern and southern regions of the island, by the end of July.

WiMAX is a high-speed wireless broadband technology offering access to both fixed and mobile devices over a wide area.

-By Alex Pevzner, Joy C. Shaw, and Piling Chiu Dow Jones Newswires; 8862-2502-2557; alex.pevzner@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires"

Posted to the site on 17th July 2007