On March 10 2010 the National Communications Commission (NCC) issued the final worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) regional licence to First International Telecom (FITEL). All six WiMAX operators have obtained operation licences to provide mobile broadband services in Taiwan since they were awarded regional licences in August 2007 (for further details please see “Six WiMAX licences awarded”).

FITEL is the only Personal Handy-phone System service operator operating in the 1900 megahertz band in Taiwan. Due to its failure to obtain funding from foreign investors, its poor financial status in 2008 and the NCC’s refusal to allow it to spin off its WiMAX business to a subsidiary, FITEL delayed its application for an operation licence (for further details please see “NCC bans WiMAX business spin-off”). Fortunately, it applied before the deadline of the end of March 2010; otherwise, it would have been ineligible.

The six operators are TATUNG InfoComm, Global Mobile, FarEast Tone Telecom, VMAX Telecom, Vee Time (formerly Vastar Cable) and FITEL. The table below shows the dates on which the respective providers obtained their licences and the regions in
which they operate.