NCC implemented the policy Broadband for Tribes, and has initiated data communication access universal services for Caoshui Tribe, Gaozhong Village, Taoyuan Township, Kaohsiung County, and several tribes of Guchuan Tribe, Wutai Village, Wutai Township, Pingtung County.
To realize universal telecom services and resolve the problem of aboriginal settlements without broadband, NCC has appointed Chunghwa Telecom Company Limited to install data communication access universal service at remote tribes (neighborhoods); the initiation ceremony of broadband network service for Caoshui Tribe, Gaozhong Village, Taoyuan Township, Kaohsiung County and Guchuan Tribe, Wutai Village, Wutai Township, Pingdong County was officiated on November 28 and 29, 2008 respectively. The ceremony was jointly hosted by Chen Cheng-tsang, Vice Chairperson of NCC, Hsieh Chin-nan, Commission member of NCC, Yeh Nan-ming, Deputy Chief of Kaohsiung County, Xie Chui-yao, Chief of Taoyuan Township, Hong Hu-je, chief of Gao Zhong Village, Yan Jin-zheng, Chief of Wutain Township of Pingtung County, Ba Shan-guang, Chief of Wutai Village, Zhong Xing-hua, Director of the Council of Indigenous Peoples of the Executive Yuan, and Xie Ji-mao, Deputy General Manager of Chunghwa Telecom Company.
Chen Cheng-tsang, deputy Chairman of NCC, stated that Chunghwa Telecom had completed the construction of broadband network at Caoshui Tribe of Gaozhong and Guchuan Tribe of Wutai Village on October 28 and 31,2008, which enables about 20 households at Caoshui Tribe and 50 households at Guchuan Tribes to apply for data communication access universal service with speeds of up to 8Mbps/640Kbps. Through the mechanism of telecom universal services, it can help to improve basic communication services to remote areas and connect them to the world. It is hoped that broadband network can help villagers to learn about aboriginal language via E-learning, and utilize the network to develop tourism, tours, aboriginal culture, and facilitate agricultural development at Taoyuan and Wutai Townships. As such, job opportunities can be increased, and the digital divide can be further reduced.
To effectively achieve the policy Broadband for Tribes, as well as to intensify universal construction for data broadband network and application of broadband network, NCC has, starting from the first half of year 2008, begun to screen and select about 50 suitable Tribes (Neighborhoods) as the prioritized areas for broadband network construction based on the amount of households, need for broadband network, local economic development, and landscape, cultural features, and hostels and other tourism resources suitable for development. On June 2, NCC appointed Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Fixed Network, and TINP to provide data communication access universal service at 50 Tribes (Neighborhoods) around the country (for details, please refer to the website www.ncc.gov.tw/公告資訊/公告訊息/一般公告/97/6/2), with a total construction expenditure of NT$78 million. The source of funding comes from the Telecommunications Universal Service Fund, which is contributed into by 29 Type I operators (mobile and fixed network operators) and II (network phone, ISR operators of international phone) telecom service providers with annual business turnover more than NT$100 million. The expenditure is jointed shared on a pro rata basis according to their annual business turnover.
There are about 730 tribes, according to the annual statistic information of 2007 as provided by the Council of Indigenous Peoples of the Executive Yuan, with about 160 tribes still without broadband connection. In order to optimize the fund, NCC has scheduled the priority order for network establishment among tribes (neighborhoods), allocation amount of construction for broadband network every year, and the burden for each operator. NCC has, for the time being, commissioned impartial groups to conduct comprehensive survey for the need of broadband network and relevant studies among tribes (neighborhoods) as basis for the implementation of annual project of broadband construction To achieve Broadband for Tribes.
Further, NCC has already convened three meetings on “Progress tracking for tribe with broadband construction” in order to successfully achieve the policy objective by the end of 2008. By November 20, telecom providers of universal services had already completed broadband construction at 34 Tribes (Neighborhoods), amounting to 68% of the entire project. When the project is fully completed, the residents can enjoy broadband with speeds of at least 2Mbps. The objective of the entire construction is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
Contact to:
Senior Engineer Lin, Qing-Heng 23433625
Chief Lio, Ming-Zhong 23433610
