Taiwan’s largest telecommunications company, Chunghwa Telecom, has signed an exclusive distribution partner agreement with Eutelsat OneWeb for Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite services. The multi-million-dollar deal aims to integrate Eutelsat OneWeb services as backup for terrestrial fixed and mobile networks, submarine cables, and microwave communication services provided by Chunghwa Telecom to government and business customers.

As part of the agreement, Chunghwa Telecom plans to establish a satellite service terminal testing center in Taiwan in collaboration with Eutelsat OneWeb. Additionally, they aim to collaborate with government, research institutions, and industry to promote the domestic satellite industry.

Taiwan, an island that has been independent since 1950, faces sovereignty claims from China. In recent months, tensions between the two regions have escalated, and earlier this year, Taiwan suspected China of cutting its undersea internet cable.

Given Taiwan’s heavy reliance on submarine cables for external connectivity, satellite services play a crucial role as a secondary option for communication. Alex Chien, executive vice president of Chunghwa Telecom, emphasized the importance of satellite services for the Taiwanese government and businesses. He stated that by integrating Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO satellite services with Chunghwa Telecom’s Geostationary Orbit satellite services, they are taking the first step towards establishing a multi-orbit satellite service portfolio.

This exclusive agreement between Chunghwa Telecom and Eutelsat OneWeb highlights the growing significance of satellite services in Taiwan’s communication infrastructure. It positions Chunghwa Telecom to provide reliable and resilient connectivity options to support government and business operations in the face of potential disruptions to terrestrial networks.