Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), Taiwan Mobile (TWM) and Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET), the three largest mobile telecom carriers in Taiwan, are expected to launch high-end 4G smartphone models to maintain existing 3G subscribers with high ARPU (average revenues per user) when they start 4G operations, while two newcomers and Asia Pacific are expected to launch relatively low charge rates and inexpensive 4G smartphones to attract a shift of customers from existing operators and thereby trigger competition with the former, according to Taiwan-based smartphone supply chain makers.

　　The two newcomers in 4G mobile telecom industry are Ambit Microsystems (on behalf of the Foxconn Group) and Taiwan Star Cellular (on behalf of the Ting Hsin International Group).

　　International vendors including Apple, Samsung Electronics, HTC, Sony Mobile Communications will benefit from the launch of high-end 4G smartphones by CHT, TWM and FET, while China-based vendors including Huawei Device, ZTE and Xiaomi Technology will be competitive in the segment for inexpensive 4G smartphones, the sources pointed out.

　　As there have been many LTE networks operating on 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency band units around the world, smartphone vendors are expected to introduce LTE smartphone models supporting 900MHz and 1800MHz band units to the Taiwan market, the sources indicated. However, Taiwan has also assigned 700MHz band units for 4G operation and currently there have been no commercial LTE networks running on the band, the sources noted. Therefore, smartphone vendors and makers have to spend time in testing smartphones and systems, the sources pointed out.