Asia Pacific Telecom (APT) is set to launch its MOCN (multi-operator core network) 5G services in the third quarter of 2021 with target download rate to be maintained at over 300Mbps, according to company chairman Fang Ming Lu.
In the 5G era, Lu said, telecom operators are expected to land more revenues from smart and digital solutions for vertical applications than from traditional telecom services.
Lu said more market opportunities will arise from vertical smart applications, which will prompt telecom operators to build optimal network architecture to satisfy different requirements.
He noted actual smart 5G applications can materialize only after diverse wired and wireless networks and backend infrastructure construction are completed. Many applications have entered the POC (proof of concept) stage, yet mostly focusing on data collection at small single fields, which cannot be regarded as smart applications, Lu opined.
Lu stressed that if Taiwan wants to become a smart or digital island, backend infrastructure has to be upgraded simultaneously with frontend 5G services.
APT has partnered with Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET) based on "shared frequency, shared network and shared construction" schemes, which have been approved by the National Communications Commission (NCC).
APT president Nanren Huang said that FET has established some 6,000 5G base stations in Taiwan, translating into a coverage of nearly 70% countrywide and over 80% in six big cities. He disclosed that APT hopes to achieve a 20% penetration for its MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) services, launched in October 2020, by the end of 2021.
Huang also disclosed that APT will see its subscriber numbers increase by 200,000 by the end of the year to reach 2.2 million, and expects to score higher ARPU (average revenue per user) from 5G services.