The Digital Ministry announced on Wednesday that communication efficiency on Taiping Island has increased 3.9 times following the activation of the SES medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite signal, launching Wifi and mobile network services on the island on Tuesday. The upgrade provides bandwidth of up to 25Mbps, improving communication efficiency for coast guard personnel stationed on the island.
Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, located in the South China Sea is an important strategic location for Taiwan. However, due to geographical factors, the island has suffered from limited communication bandwidth, causing inconveniences in external communications.
To bolster Taiwan's communication resilience, the Digital Ministry initiated a two-year non-geostationary satellite verification project of low earth orbit (LEO) and MEO satellites last year. The project prioritizes installing satellite equipment in crucial areas on Taiwan's main island and outlying islands lacking communication capabilities.
The ministry collaborated with the Telecom Technology Center (TTC), the Ocean Affairs Council, the Coast Guard Administration, and Chunghwa Telecom to set up the SES mPower MEO satellite equipment on Taiping Island in September last year. It also constructed the island's Wi-Fi and telecom base station satellite transmission network. Following successful tests on Tuesday, the improved services were launched. The boosted bandwidth of 25Mbps significantly enhances internet communication quality between Taiping Island and Taiwan.
The ministry plans to establish more than 700 satellite network sites by year-end to enhance Taiwan's communication resilience.