Chunghwa Telecom Takes Taiwan's Connectivity to the Next Level: Launching First Dedicated Satellite

A Strategic Partnership with Astranis Signals a New Era of Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Taiwan.

Taipei, April 15th – Taiwan is poised to significantly boost its digital infrastructure capabilities. Chunghwa Telecom Co., a leading telecom service provider in Taiwan, has announced a strategic agreement with Astranis Space Technologies Corp., an American satellite start-up, to develop Taiwan's first dedicated compact geostationary orbit (MicroGEO) satellite.

Chunghwa Telecom, in a recent statement, highlighted the anticipated impact of the MicroGEO satellite, which boasts rapid deployment, high performance, and exceptional reliability. This innovative technology promises to dramatically expand satellite capacity specifically tailored for Taiwan's needs.

The ambitious project is scheduled for launch by the end of 2025, with full bandwidth services expected to be available as early as the following year. This marks a significant milestone, as it will be the first communications satellite exclusively dedicated to serving Taiwan.

Astranis' expertise lies in developing agile, flexible, and advanced MicroGEO satellites. This strategic partnership is designed to complement Chunghwa Telecom's existing multi-orbit satellite architecture, which already includes in-orbit ST-2 GEO, OneWeb's low earth orbit (LEO), and Luxembourg satellite telecommunications company SES's medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites.

This collaboration is expected to bolster Taiwan's resilient "Sky, Land, Sea, and Air" network, further advancing its Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) strategy.

Chunghwa Telecom chairman, Alex C.C Chien (簡志誠), emphasized the company's commitment to expanding its satellite initiatives in recent years. "Astranis's MicroGEO solution introduces vital flexibility and resilience to our satellite strategy," he stated. "This collaboration enables us to build a dedicated, secure digital infrastructure for Taiwan—one that can serve as a critical real-time backup against natural disasters, submarine cable disruptions, and evolving global uncertainties."

Astranis CEO, John Gedmark, expressed his company's dedication to providing dedicated satellite capacity where it is most crucial, ensuring secure and independent communications. "We are honored to partner with Chunghwa Telecom to enhance the resilience of Taiwan's critical communications infrastructure," he added, reflecting on the vision the company has had for almost a decade.