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3. Current Development of WiMAX Carriers Worldwide
According to MIC's survey, around 344 WiMAX carriers in 115 countries worldwide have invested in WiMAX deployments and operations by the end of 2009. At present, most WiMAX carriers still have room for growth, with 76.1% of all carriers featuring a subscriber base of just under 10,000. At the same time, there are 26 WiMAX carriers with more than 50,000 subscribers; that is to say, 7.6% of all WiMAX carriers account for around 70% of the 6.47 million global users. WiMAX has enabled many emerging Internet Service Providers (ISP) and carriers to tap into network services. However, further revenue and subscriber growth will have to rely on ensuing long-term investments and expansion of network coverage.
In Taiwan, there are six WiMAX carriers at present. Since the launch of services in the second half of 2009, four carriers - including Tatung Telecom, FarEasTone Telecommunications, Global Mobile, and VMAX Telecom - had accumulated an overall subscriber base of more than 10,000 by year end 2009. The other two carriers Vee Telecom Multimedia and FITEL are expected to obtain their respective service licenses and launch services in the first half of 2010. Taiwanese carriers which have begun services are expected to keep investing in base station deployment in 2010 so as to boost population coverage. VMAX expects to invest about NT$1.6 billion (US$ US$50.3 million; US$1=NT$31.8) in adding 300 new base stations in 2010. Global Mobile also said that it will spend approximately NT$3.0 billion (US$94.3 million) over the next three years on constructing 1,000 base stations and expanding its network coverage from Hsinchu to the greater Taipei region. In addition, Taiwanese PC manufacturers Acer and Asus have rolled out notebook PCs embedded with WiMAX modules, significantly increasing the lineup of available WiMAX devices, which is projected to elevate the WiMAX subscriber base in Taiwan.
Source: Mobile Taiwan Applications Promotion Program Office, IDB, MOEA,
compiled by MIC, February 2010
Figure 4. Global WiMAX Carriers by Type, 2009
4. Major WiMAX Investment Projects Worldwide
Many large-scale investment projects have emerged in 2009. Below is a list of major WiMAX investment projects worldwide up until the fourth quarter of 2009.
| Table 1 Major WiMAX Investment Projects Worldwide, 2009 |
| Location |
Carrier |
Supplier |
Project |
| Canada |
Craig Wireless |
Motorola |
- First-phase deployment completed; service to begin in Vancouver in 2Q 2010
|
| United States |
Time Warner
(Clearwire’s WiMAX service provider) |
Motorola Samsung
Huawei
Cisco
Alvarion |
- Service has begun in selected regions of Dallas; 1,000 new subscribers added in December 2009
- Service began in San Antonio and Hawaii in early February 2010
|
| Korea |
Korea Telecom |
Samsung
POSDATA |
- Planned domestic investment estimated at 1.1 trillion Won (US$972.4 million; US$1=1131.2 Won) by the end of 2011
- A US$56.6 million contract is signed with the government of Rwanda to provide network services in 30 Rwandan cities in 1H 2011.
|
| SK Telecom |
Samsung |
- To invest 300 billion Won (US$265.2 million) in the next two years, with 140 billion won (US$123.8 million) to be spent in 2010
|
| Malaysia |
Packet One Networks |
Alcatel-
Lucent
ZTE |
- To invest 200 million MYR (US$60.6 million; US$1=3.3 MYR) in 2010
- To boost WiMAX coverage in West Malaysia from 35% to 40% by year-end 2010
- Target for subscriber base to grow from 130,000 in 4Q 2009 to 200,000 at year end 2010
|
| Asiaspace |
Huawei |
- Launched the “amax city” project at TPM (Technology Park Malaysia) targeting business users; subscriber base projected at 3,000 to 5,000 in 1Q 2010
|
| Taiwan |
Global Mobile |
Nokia Siemens Networks |
- To add 1,000 new base transceiver stations
- Collaborative equipment suppliers expected to include Nokia Siemens Networks, Motorola, and Huawei Technologies
- The deal is valued at NT$2.0 billion (US$62.9 million)
|
| Vee Telecom Multimedia |
Motorola |
- Expected to obtain the service license in March 2010
|
| VMAX Telecom |
Samsung |
- Expected to invest NT$1.6 billion (US$50.3 million) and add 300 new base stations in 2010
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