Various policies have been implemented to improve coverage in remote areas, strengthen mobile communications in public areas, and encourage mobile broadband operators to boost construction of high-speed mobile broadband networks so as to ensure a high-quality mobile communications can be provided to the public and the national digital infrastructure can be developed.

　　The National Communications Commission (NCC), on January 2, announced the results of the measurements of mobile internet speeds of five mobile broadband operators undertaken by the Telecom Technology Center (TTC) during 2018. The nationwide average download speed of 4G fixed-point measurement increased to 95.42 Mbps, an increase of 68.25% when compared with the previous results of 56.71 Mbps in 2017. Average download speeds of 4G mobile in each county and city was between 39.76 and 65.43 Mbps.

　　Measurements of speeds (both fixed-point and while moving) were conducted from June to October of 2018:

I. Fixed-point measurements: Measurements were carried out by professional measurement personnel in the outdoor area of 7,851 village chief offices around the country; results showed that the nationwide average 4G download and upload speeds were 95.42Mbps and 26.43Mbps, respectively, while the cloud download speed was 82.93Mbps, as shown in Table 1. Please refer to the appendix of the summary report for the measurement results of each operator in each county, city and township.

II.    Mobile measurements: Measurements were carried out by professional measurement personnel while being driven along main roads of each city and county, highways and expressways at normal driving speeds, and inside Taiwan High-speed Rail, Taiwan Railway, Taipei MRT and Kaohsiung MRT train carriages. The average 4G download speed on major roads in counties and cities was between 39.76 Mbps to 65.43 Mbps; the average 4G download speed on mass transit was between 28.00 Mbps to 104.48 Mbps, with details as shown in Table 2. For the measurement results of each operator on each route, please refer to the appendix. 

　　The average 4G download speed of the most recent fixed-point measurements was 95.42Mbps, a significant increase from the 56.71Mbps average speeds of the previous measurements carried out from May to September of 2017, indicating an increase rate of 68.25%, as shown in Figure 1. In terms of mobile measurements, a significant increase can be seen by comparing the respective measurement results of each measurement area. As the number of 4G users increased from 21.693 million in September 2017 to 26.90 million in October 2018, a growth rate of 24%, the results show that mobile broadband operators have continued to actively strengthen and improve high-speed mobile broadband networks.

　　Figure 1 Fixed-point measurements from June to October of 2018

　　The method of carrying out measurements as used by TCC was to set up a speed measurement server in the mobile broadband operator's telecom room, and to measure the file download/upload speed using a multi-threaded method. The speed measurement method is based on the internet speed measurement apps available in the market, and the speed test app used was developed by TCC. TTC professional measurement personnel personally went to 7,851 villages across the country to conduct on-the-spot measurements so as to obtain high-density statistics and comprehensively compile the results of the mobile broadband operators’ network construction and were carried out by using professional in-vehicle mobile measurement equipment at normal driving speed, around national highways, expressways and major roads in counties and cities, measuring with professional in-vehicle and hand-held mobile measuring equipment.

　　In view of the NCC's key policy objectives, such as strengthening broadband coverage, particularly in remote areas, facilitating mobile communication services in public areas such as public transit systems, and optimizing overall speed and service quality, throughout 2018, NCC implemented a number of policy guidance and regulatory requirements. For instance, the announcement of the amendment to the frequency usage fee standards at the end of 2017, and the fee mechanism of "coverage of high-speed cell sites in remote areas" was amended and became effective in 2018, encouraging operators to increase the construction and coverage of mobile broadband network in remote areas; moreover, the Universal Service Fund has been utilized to promote construction in remote areas. This has allowed the government and industry (telecom fixed network, telecom mobile network, and cable TV) to coordinate and actively promote greater construction of the digital infrastructure; Furthermore, the Mobile Broadband Promotion Task Force conducted biweekly meetings with view to the implementation of high quality communications in public areas such as public transit systems (Taiwan High-speed Rail, Taiwan Railway, Huatung South-link Line, Taipei MRT, Airport MRT, Kaohsiung MRT, etc.), as well as along the national highways and major expressways. Results showed that the 4G Internet connection speed in remote areas and in certain public fields in 2018 have mostly increased significantly compared to those in 2017.

　　NCC has stressed that average internet speeds may be affected by various factors, such as the density of constructed cell sites, whether the cell sites are equipped with the function of carrier aggregation, the ability of the device to receive signals, the difference in user terminal equipment specifications, and the differences in users’ tariffs. NCC has also advised the public to select the appropriate mobile service according to their own needs and has called on all sectors to support the nationwide construction of more cell sites.

　　Relevant measurement results are detailed in the attached summary report, and the graphic information is provided on the commission’s info-graphics platform, whereby the public can simply click on map on the website to obtain average internet speeds in each particular area, as well as view the results by operator. Information can be found on the NCC website (https://www.ncc.gov.tw), and summary reports are also provided at the TTC website (http://speed.ttc.org.tw/history.php?lang=zh_TW/).