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.
As low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite networks move from development into full commercial deployment, major operators are racing to expand and secure their global supply chains. Among them, Eutelsat OneWeb is deepening its footprint in Taiwan, now treating the island as an essential pillar of its worldwide ecosystem.
As the global deployment of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites accelerates, the Asia-Pacific region has become a strategic frontier for satellite operators. Rising demand driven by economic growth, geopolitical complexity, and the need for disaster resilience has turned the region into a coveted market. Yet, regulatory fragmentation across countries has slowed commercial rollout compared with the United States and Europe. That is now changing, as several governments move to open their skies to LEO operators, triggering a new wave of deployments.
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 China completes the global deployment of its BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System, officials are now focused on exporting the technology under Beijing's "Belt and Road" initiative, signaling a shift from building the constellation to driving widespread international adoption. The move also opens a new frontier for China's navigation chipmakers, which see rising opportunities to challenge Western dominance in positioning and timing technologies.
Amazon's satellite internet venture, Project Kuiper, could soon make its debut in Taiwan — and the island's two leading telecom operators, Chunghwa Telecom and Far EasTone Telecommunications, are already vying for partnership rights.
With 5G deployment expanding worldwide and 6G research accelerating, the global communications industry is entering a new era defined by speed, intelligence, and ubiquitous connectivity. The rise of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence is reshaping how the world connects—and Taiwan aims to position itself at the center of that transformation.
