FarEasTone (FET) has taken a major step in exporting its telemedicine capabilities abroad, announcing on Dec. 8 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Taiwan's Teleport Access Services and Indonesia's state-owned satellite operator Telkomsat. The three parties will jointly develop satellite-based telemedicine services aimed at remote and underserved communities across Indonesia's far-flung islands.
With the 3GPP Release 19 standard nearing its freeze and SpaceX's Starship poised to slash launch costs, direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communication is emerging as the telecom industry's next major arena of competition.
The DIGITIMES Tech Forum 2026 opened on December 3, with DIGITIMES senior analyst Benson Wu saying that the lack of breakthrough 5G applications has made operators cautious about next-generation infrastructure investment, yet Agentic AI services may become the catalyst that re-energises 6G development and drives new demand for future communications networks.
Kyocera has abandoned its bid to enter the 5G base-station market, shelving a plan it once hoped would help Japan reclaim a foothold in critical communications infrastructure. The company had previously announced a target of commercial deployment by 2027, but ultimately concluded that global competition is too fierce to ensure a viable return.
BizLink said on December 1 that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Shenzhen-based XFS Communications, aiming to expand its optical interconnect capabilities as demand for high-speed links in AI data centers accelerates. The company expects the deal to close in the first quarter of 2026, after which XFS will be folded into BizLink's High Performance Computing Business Unit.
Taipei Computer Association (TCA) announced on December 1 the establishment of the Taiwan NextGen Communications Alliance (TNGCA), a cross-industry coalition uniting the nation's telecom operators, electronics manufacturers, and systems-integration firms to strengthen Taiwan's position in next-generation communications.
Following the lead of China, the European Union (EU), and South Korea, Japan has unveiled plans to build its own long-distance quantum communication network. The first phase will link the country's three major cities—Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka—covering a distance of 600 kilometers. Construction is expected to be completed by early 2027, with field testing planned later that year. The initial rollout will focus on sectors where confidentiality is critical, such as healthcare and finance, to establish a Japan-specific quantum communication standard by 2030.
International Integrated Systems, Inc. (IISI), a subsidiary of Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), began trading on the Taiwan Stock Exchange on November 25 at its offering price of NT$46 per share.
Veon's move into satellite-powered mobile services began during the Russia-Ukraine war, when its Ukrainian unit Kyivstar relied on Starlink's orbital network to restore connectivity after Russian attacks damaged cellular infrastructure.
US optical communications giant Lumentum reported stronger-than-expected earnings for the quarter ended September 27, signaling renewed momentum in the sector. Taiwan's optical component suppliers, which also released third-quarter results, showed signs of profit recovery after currency headwinds in the previous quarter, with growth expected to accelerate in 2026 as investment in co-packaged optics (CPO) and silicon photonics applications begins to bear fruit.
As 3GPP integrates Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) into global standards, the long-standing walls of incompatible satellite systems are finally coming down. Leo Chien, chairman of Ubiqconn Technology, stated that that this transformation could create critical opportunities for Taiwanese companies familiar with terrestrial devices, especially in the emerging Direct-to-Device (D2D) sector.
