Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom is planning to invest $104 million to expand its optical communications networks during 2008, with the aim of increasing the number of subscribers by 400,000 by the end of the year.

Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom is planning to invest $104 million to expand its optical communications networks during 2008, with the aim of increasing the number of subscribers by 400,000 by the end of the year. According to the terms of the expansion project, Chunghwa Telecom plans to purchase 683,000 units of VDSL2 equipment and 55,000 units of Ethernet passive optical networks equipment. About 60 per cent of the VDSL2 equipment required is expected to be purchased from the Taiwanese market, and the company plans to hold an open bid in the second quarter of 2008 to finalise these contracts. Several Taiwanese network equipment makers, including D-Link, Zyxel Communications, Asustek Computer and Tecom, are expected to participate in the bidding.

The remaining VDSL2 equipment is likely to be bought from suppliers in Japan.