Chunghwa Telecom noted that MTI was awarded nearly $35 million in funding from NTIA
Taiwanese operator Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) has teamed up with Microelectronics Technology (MTI) to become one of the seven global recipients selected under the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO2) program.
The Asian carrier noted that MTI was awarded nearly $35 million in funding. The program is designed to advance the global adoption of Open RAN (O-RAN) technology by supporting top-tier vendors with financial assistance, enhancing their research and development capabilities and expediting market deployment.
Funded by the U.S. Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, this program focuses particularly on the commercialization, deployment and innovative development of Open Radio Unit (Open RU) technology for O-RAN.
With this grant, Chunghwa Telecom Laboratories will collaborate with MTI to validate outdoor high-power O-RAN solutions. This initiative aims to accelerate the development of the O-RAN ecosystem and elevate the global standing of Taiwanese technology providers.
The Chunghwa Telecom Laboratories’ 5G O-RAN Lab is equipped to perform multi-vendor system integration and interoperability tests. It integrates user equipment, O-RAN base stations, and core networks to deliver end-to-end 5G O-RAN solutions for both indoor low-power and outdoor high-power applications.
The Taiwanese carrier highlighted that these capabilities enable Taiwan’s O-RAN vendors to conduct comprehensive system testing before entering international markets.
Tian-Tsair Su, president of Chunghwa Telecom Laboratories, said: “Since 2021, we have actively participated in the National Development Council’s Asia Silicon Valley 5G Open Network Promotion Project, striving to integrate domestic and international academia, industry and research resources to create diverse 5G application scenarios and solutions. Through this collaboration with MTI on the NOFO2 project, we aim to deepen partnerships with government agencies, domestic industry leaders, and international partners, accelerating the commercialization and implementation of related technologies.”
“Receiving funding support from the U.S. government is a significant milestone for MTI. This investment will drive breakthroughs in wireless innovation and provide advanced solutions for global mobile network users. By leveraging CHT’s expertise in Open RAN, we will deepen our collaboration, shape the future of global wireless technology, and introduce next-generation wireless solutions to the U.S. and international markets,” said Eugene Wu, CEO of Microelectronics Technology.
In October 2024, Finnish vendor Nokia announced that it has been selected by Chunghwa Telecom in a one-year extension deal that will modernize its 5G network across the central and southern regions of Taiwan.
The Nordic vendor noted that this new project has the main aim of boosting the performance, capacity and energy efficiency of CHT’s 5G network, as well as paving the way for CHT’s 5G-Advanced network evolution.
In that same month, Ericsson said it had been awarded a 5G contract with Chunghwa Telecom with the aim of modernizing its network. Ericsson and Chunghwa Telecom had previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost 5G technology in Taiwan.
