A week in tech, June 2 - 9

Taiwan

Semiconductors
• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) announced the expansion of the capacity of its 300-millimetre wafer plant located in southern Taiwan. The company said it has initiated the third phase of the construction of the plant, expecting the full monthly capacity of the plant to move up to 115,000 wafers after the expansion is completed. The world’s largest contract microchip manufacturer did not disclose financial details except with the statement that the company is shelling out from $2.6 billion to $2.8 billion on the Tainan plant and for another 300mm facility in northern Taiwan.

Mobile/Wireless
• Taiwan announced that it is setting the commercialization of next-generation wireless technology not earlier than 2012. The top official of Taiwan 4G organisation stated that the testing of 4G technology will happen in 2008 and continue till 2010. The report noted that the country is behind Japan, South Korea and China in the development of 4G even as it has entered into technical partnerships with Chinese and other international telecom electronics companies.


Hong Kong

Internet
• The expansion of eBay operations into Hong Kong is an indicator that the territory is a strategically important site for the online auction site operator, according to its Hong Kong managing director. eBay cited the presence of SMEs and professional buyers and sellers as just some of the factors that make the territory perfect for the setting up of eBay Hong Kong. A key official stated that Hong Kong was leading in eBay’s international trade and that eBay Hong Kong would not only respond to the needs of its community and boost its trading platform; it would also seek membership in the Hong Kong community. The company said it has launched educational sessions for local SMEs in cooperation with the Hong Kong Productivity Council and it is now piloting with eight educational institutions in Hong Kong program student business programs.

Mobile/Wireless
• Hutchison Telecom Hong Kong and NTT DoCoMo announced their formation of a strategic partnership that will enable NTT DoCoMo to bring its i-mode services to Hong Kong and Macau. Under the alliance, NTT DoCoMo will be responsible for the technology and marketing, which is seen as allowing Hutchison to offer i-mode services via its networks. The two companies expect to see 16 i-mode operators in 24 countries and regions around the world. NTT sees the launch in Hong Kong as having a big advantage because Japan and Hong Kong share the same technology. After seven years, there are currently 46 million i-Mode subscribers in Japan, with 6.5 million more outside the country.

Media, Entertainment and Gaming
• PCCW announced that it is exporting its Now TV pay television service through its engineering arm Cascade. Through Cascade, PCCW said it has entered into partnerships with Star TV, a content provider, and Huawei Technologies, a telecom equipment vendor, to secure entry to European, African and Southeast Asian markets. Working with the two partners, Cascade said it has completed an Internet protocol TV platform with True Telecom, a Thai operator. A similar work is in progress with operators for Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine and Morocco, with Cascade and Huawei as partners. Having received the management contract for Natrindo Telepon Secular’s 3G network of Indonesia, Cascade announced that it is also going into mobile network solutions. Huawei completed the Indonesian network.


Singapore/Malaysia/Philippines/Indonesia
Telecommunications
• Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) announced that it is leading a consortium to develop the Asia-America Gateway Cable System, an international undersea cable system linking Southeast Asia with the United States. The consortium was formed with the signing of a memorandum of agreement with six companies, namely, PLDT of the Philippines, AiTi of Brunei, CAT Telekom of Thailand, VNPT of Vietnam, StarHub of Singapore, and REACH of Hong Kong. The undersea cable system is expected to connect Malaysia and the U.S. via Hong Kong, the Philippines, Guam and Hawaii, with the lines route branching out to Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and Vietnam. The report said the cable system is expected to provide support to the rapidly growing voice, Internet protocol/data and video traffic between Southeast Asia and the U.S.

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