Taiwan 3G mobile telecom carrier Vibo is upgrading its core network from the existing 3G equipment supplied by Ericsson to HSPA+ (3.75G) equipment supplied by Nokia Siemens Networks, with completion scheduled for November 2010. The maximum download speed for mobile access to the Internet is expected to be hiked from 7.2Mbps at present to 21.1Mbps, according to company president Chang Feng-hsiung.
In line with the upgrade in mobile Internet-access speeds, Vibo will offer vPad, a own-brand Android 2.2-based 7-inch tablet PC at a market price of up to NT$10,000 (US$314), for contract-bundled sale in November, Chang pointed out. Vibo plans to procure 2,000 vPads initially and hopes to sell them by the end of 2010, Chang indicated. In addition, Vibo will offer own-brand Android-based smartphones worth about NT$5,000 for contract-bundled sale as well by the end of 2010, Chang indicated.
Including replacement of 3G base stations with HSPA+ ones and additions of the latter, the entire HSPA+ network will be completed in 2011 and Vibo expects the number of subscribers to increase from 1.75 million currently to 2.5 million by the end of 2011, Chang pointed out.
Article translated by Adam Hwang
