The data communication access universal service of broadband for Caoshan Village was officially initiated at noon on July 22; the ceremony for broadband network service was jointly officiated by Su Yong-qin, the Chairman of National Communications Commission (NCC), Wu Rong-hui, Secretary General of Chiayi County Government, Zhang Ming-da, Deputy Speaker of the County Assembly, Chief of Fanlu Township, Deputy Chief of Fanlu Township, Township representatives, Chief of Caoshan Village, Chairman of Caoshan community, Principal of Xixiang Elementary School, and Zhang Xiao-dong, Deputy General Manager of Chunghwa Telecom Company Limited.
Upon completion of its policy objective, Broadband for Villages, last year, NCC has further extended the project for one year into even more remote areas, using the special project to appoint Type I telecom service providers in order to expand and speed up installation so that the infrastructure of broadband network can be proliferated to further outlaying islands, tribes, and neighboring area of Han tribes as it promulgated the modified stipulation of Paragraph 3 of Article 17 of Regulation of Telecommunications Universal Services on February 29, 2008; this should help realize Broadband for Tribes. It is based on the tribal connection information provided by Council of Indigenous Peoples, the scenario of broadband establishment among each of the aboriginal tribes as responded from each local government under its jurisdiction, and site inspection conducted by the Commission member Xie Jin-nan, who surveyed the number of households, requiring internet service, local economic development, potential landscape of the locality, cultural features and tourism, and hotel conditions, which NCC, on June 2, appointed Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Fixed Network, and TINP to provide data communication access universal services to 50 tribes (Neighborhoods) this year, including (Neighborhoods 1~3, Caoshan Village). It is expected that the entire construction expenditure shall total NT$78 million, with completion targeted for the end of the year. It is hoped that well-connected network can be constructed to stimulate further application of universal broadband service.
NCC has appointed Chunghwa Telecom to be responsible for broadband deployment from 1st to 3rd Neighborhoods of Caoshan Village. The construction expenditure is managed and operated by the telecommunications universal services fund, and jointly shared by Type I and II telecom service provides whose annual business turnover achieve more than NT$200 million; the total expenditure shall amount to NT$1.8 million. The company has employed relay transmission and fiber optic technology, while local line service is carried with existing copper cable, while broadband network service is installed with optic GeSW+ADSL structure. With its completion on July 16, the greatest available band speed will be 8M/640K (best effort), and the downlink speed lies between 2M to 8M. NCC acknowledges the efforts of Chiayi Operation Office of Chunghwa Telecom Company Limited with much affirmation and recognition as its staff has collaborated to help realize the policy of Broadband for Villages.
The natural landscape and agricultural products of Caoshan Village are given with features for further development, such as Hulu Valley, waterfall, light-worm, tea path, and bamboo-shoot. This construction has, after its completion, brought about many substantial benefits to the village, including the enhancement of frequency for broadband surfing at remote areas, and reduction of digital gap and enhancement of information application capability. As such, practical benefits are: school students can now access the broadband academic network at home, and enhance their digital learning capability. Through broadband network, they can work to promote aboriginal language through network and preserve aboriginal culture; with the utilization of network marketing, they can develop ecological and tourism and tours, as well as facilitate agricultural development, vibrate local economy, increase working opportunities, and encourage young villagers to return home. Besides, the broadband network connects villagers to the world and government websites for email communication, greatly enhancing administration efficiency for tribes.
Based on the statistic information provided by the Council of Indigenous Peoples of the Executive Yuan, there are 847 tribes (Neighborhoods), with about 180 without broadband connection. To render the universal services fund for optimal utilization, NCC has scheduled the priority order for network establishment among tribes (neighborhoods). It will commission impartial groups to efficiently evaluate tribal (neighborhood) requirements for broadband, allocation of establishment for broadband network, and the scenario of relevant educational information and equipment input by administration resources for NCC to supervise telecom service providers as they make use and implement annual project on the construction of broadband in the future.
Contact to:
2343-3625, Technician, Lin Qing-heng
2343-3610, Section Chief, Li Ming-zhong
