The National Communications Commission has agreed upon a new rate plan for Internet Protocol peering fees provided by Chunghwa Telecom in order to ease tensions among other internet service providers, including Taiwan Fixed Network. The commission hopes that the savings made by the ISPs due to the reduced peering fees will be passed on to consumers.

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The National Communications Commission and Far Eastone Telecommunication (FET) have announced that the first steps have been taken towards reducing the digital divide in certain remote villages by using lines also used for electric power transmission to carry the data needed to provide broadband services. FET will offer free broadband access with speeds of at least two megabits per second to the area until 2011.

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The National Communications Commission has announced plans to screen the Internet Protocol peering fees annually rather than biennially, in order to settle the dispute regarding the calculation of such fees payable by Taiwan Fixed Network to Chunghwa Telecom.

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The National Communications Commission has decided to amend the Regulations Governing the Third Generation (3G) Mobile Telecommunications Services, adding a requirement for those who supply channel programming over 3G networks to obtain approval or licences pursuant to the same regulatory requirements as other broadcasting services.

WiMAX Rules Revised to Include Content Control

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Representatives of China and Taiwan have signed a declaration which, among other things, opens the doors to Chinese investment in Taiwan. Just three days later, Far EasTone Telecommunications Limited announced its plans for a strategic cooperation agreement and a share subscription agreement with China Mobile Limited, the world's largest mobile telecommunications operator.

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If a proposed bill to amend the Telecommunications Act is passed in the forthcoming general assembly meeting, not only will existing second and third-generation operators be threatened with the removal of their base stations, but the would-be operators of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access will be left with nowhere to construct their base stations.

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The National Communications Commission has approved the Procedure on Public Offerings of Mobile Operators. Mobile operators (including third-generation mobile operators) and 1900 megahertz digital low-tier cordless telephone operators are required to comply with certain measures in order to allow for the supervision of their financial management.

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For the third consecutive year the three largest mobile network companies in Taiwan have been ordered to cut the rates charged on the most expensive second-generation (2G) mobile network calls, local calls to 2G mobile networks and calls made using prepaid cards. These cuts amount to an overall price decrease of almost 15%, and have been widely criticized by players in the industry.

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Since the new National Communications Commission was formed in August 2008, the seven newly elected commissioners have attempted to complete the tasks left unfinished by the previous commissioners, while also setting out new policy goals. The commision has published its Middle-Term Policy Plan for 2009 to 2012, so as to distinguish it from the first-term policy plan established by the predecessors in 2006.

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Taiwan Mobile has refused to pay Internet Protocol (IP) peering fees to Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan's largest internet service provider, arguing that IP peering between providers should be free. It has filed a claim with the National Communications Commission under Article 28 of the Regulations on Network Interconnection among Telecommunications Enterprises, requesting the commission's arbitration.

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The National Communications Commission has proposed an amendment to the Regulations Governing the Telecommunications Universal Service which would facilitate the use of universal service funds and empower the regulator to choose the remote villages in need of broadband network infrastructure under the universal service regime.

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The National Communications Commission has proposed amendments to the Regulations on Wireless Broadband Access Services. Among other things, the amendments define the terms 'multimedia services' and 'content of channel' and oblige worldwide interoperability for microwave access operators to obtain approvals or licences under broadcasting laws before offering content through multimedia services.

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In order to allow the Mobile Taiwan National Project to utilize its experimental equipment and base stations, the National Communications Commission has approved amendments to the regulations governing wireless broadband access service. These pave the way for the use of experimental base stations for commercial purposes.

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The National Communications Commission recently reviewed the Organization Act and proposed several changes in order to bring it into line with the demands of independent regulation. These changes include a relaxation of the qualification thresholds for entry into the commission and amendments to the scope of each commissioner's role.

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The Appeal Committee of the National Communications Commission (NCC) recently revoked a ban on Chunghwa Telecom acquiring shares in a new worldwide interoperability for microwave access operator imposed by the previous NCC commissioners. This is the first case in which a resolution made by previous commissioners has been dismissed.

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Taiwan's three dominant mobile operators have confirmed plans to incorporate Long-Term Evolution into their second-generation and third-generation systems. However, the government and network-equipment manufacturers still seem positive about the prospects for the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access industry. There is thus uncertainty as to which technology will ultimately prevail.

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The National Communications Commission has rejected an application by First International Telecom, one of the six WiMAX licence holders and the only personal handy-phone system operator in Taiwan, to spin off its WiMAX business from its personal handy-phone system operation to its wholly owned subsidiary.

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The Legislative Yuan recently approved the nominations for the next term commissioners of the National Communications Commission (NCC). Although some critical issues regarding the NCC Organization Act were resolved in 2007, several problematic issues concerning the organization and functions of the NCC remain to be dealt with. Therefore, the NCC has published proposed amendments to the act.

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To facilitate the network deployment of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), the National Communications Commission is currently amending the Regulations on Wireless Broadband Access Services in order to allow WiMAX licensees to obtain the experimental base stations that are part of the Mobile Taiwan National Project.

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Following the completion of its 2007 Broadband Access to Every Village project, the National Communications Commission (NCC) is aiming to extend the construction of the broadband network infrastructure to further remote areas in 2008. The NCC has appointed three companies to offer universal data services for broadband access to 50 mountain villages in 12 different counties.

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Although the Internet Telephony Service (ITS) was opened up to operators in 2005, to date no licensed ITS providers have launched their services due to ongoing negotiations of network interconnection agreements with Chunghwa Telecom. In order to introduce competition into the market, the National Communications Commission has ruled that Chunghwa will have no pricing rights on the ITS until the end of 2010.

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Taiwan's mobile operators are required to reduce certain primary tariff plans by at least 4.88% each year under a three-year mandatory price-cutting plan. The National Communications Commission recently approved the cuts for mobile services and asymmetric digital subscriber line services for 2008. Ostensibly designed to benefit consumers directly, the policy's real intention seems to be to stimulate competition.

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In order to comply with the adjustment of the value of the Production Efficiency Index in the price cap formula, the National Communications Commission is to implement a new accounting rule providing for detailed separate accounting for the telecommunications industry. The rule will be applied retroactively to cover financial statements and other reporting materials from 2006 onwards.

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After mutual concessions by the ruling and opposition parties, the Taiwanese Congress (the Legislative Yuan) passed the Amendment to Article 4 of the National Communications Commission (NCC) Organization Act on December 20 2007. The amendment, which became effective from January 9 2008, dramatically changes the formation of the NCC and the manner in which commissioners are nominated.

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The National Communications Commission (NCC) has announced its completion of the Broadband Access to Every Village project, which was designed to reduce the digital divide between urban and rural areas, following the NCC's amendment of the Regulations Governing the Telecommunications Universal Service in December 2006 to incorporate broadband internet access within the scope of the universal service.

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The National Communications Commission (NCC) has decided to shift the right to determine the price of local-to-mobile calls from the termination side (ie, mobile operators) to the originating side (ie, fixed network operators) from January 1 2011. However, the NCC has also ordered the local phone division of Chunghwa Telecom to reimburse mobile operators for the revenue loss caused by the shift.

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The National Communications Commission (NCC) has ruled on an amendment to the Regulations Governing Fixed-Network Telecommunications Business. By amending the regulations the NCC will reduce the thresholds - including the minimum paid-in capital, performance bond, minimum construction capacity and minimum requirement to launch business - not only for new entrants, but also for incumbents.

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