The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) announced that Taiwan's government-driven push for 5G private networks and dedicated spectrum has benefited more than 100 enterprises as of September 2025. By significantly reducing frequency usage fees to incentivize site owners, the initiative supports innovative applications despite skepticism about the 4.8-4.9GHz band and the development of 5G O-RAN technology.
According to a press release from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) on October 15, the Department of Industrial Technology (DOIT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has invested resources through specialized projects to promote 5G smart manufacturing technologies and applications. This includes subsidizing ITRI and Pegatron to develop energy-efficient 5G O-RAN private networks and establishing 5G smart factories overseas in Vietnam and Indonesia.
Government subsidies have also supported Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), ITRI, and Atayalan in deploying 5G private networks at Ever Green Timber Products, enhancing production efficiency and quality.
The APEC summit is scheduled for late October in South Korea, with related meetings taking place across member economies. A symposium, "Advancing Supply Chain Resilience in APEC Economies Through 5G Smart Manufacturing," was held in Taipei on October 15 and 16. Discussions included common 5G private network applications, such as equipment connectivity, intelligent sensing, and remote operation. Former deputy minister of science and technology Jason Yi-Bing Lin also participated in the symposium.
Presenting a report at the parliament on October 15, MODA minister Yi-Jing Lin highlighted progress in issuing 83 mobile broadband dedicated telecom licenses and approving 24 license-exempt cases. The ministry continues to advance and promote innovative communications applications, including AI RAN and 5G Advanced technologies, to accelerate new business model development.
MODA emphasized that government subsidies are enabling telecom operators to rapidly expand 5G base stations, achieving over 97% population coverage nationwide (95% in rural areas). The government encourages the adoption of equipment from domestic vendors, aiming for 40% of local content in newly built 5G base stations.
Looking ahead to key 6G bands in the upper 6GHz range, MODA has completed the field test setup and field link verification measurement of existing user frequency shift replacement technologies, including microwave, optical communication, and fixed wireless access.
Industry associations note that despite years of 5G development, challenges remain due to high construction costs and slowing revenue growth. Consequently, some stakeholders place hopes on 6G, which offers not only low latency but also integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) capabilities. ISAC transforms mobile networks from mere data transmission channels into nodes capable of environmental awareness and intelligent interpretation.
ITRI explained that ISAC analyzes wireless signal reflections and variations to detect object location, speed, and dynamics, providing sensing functions. As 3GPP standards evolve alongside advances in high-frequency and algorithmic technologies, ISAC is expected to see broad application in transportation, healthcare, industrial automation, and security monitoring. Combining AI analytics with multi-source sensor fusion further enhances ISAC's precision and intelligence.
Article edited by Jack Wu
