On March 17 2017 the National Communications Commission (NCC) announced that to develop the Internet of Things (IoT), telecommunications grade IoT numbers (with the 040 prefix) have become available and the 920 megahertz (MHz) to 925MHz band is planned as a non-telecommunications grade IoT band.
Currently, the spectrum used for IoT technologies is primarily concentrated on the 800MHz, 900MHz, 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and 5GHz bands (which require no licence in Taiwan) and on the 800MHz and 900MHz bands (which are licensed bands used by telecommunications operators). With respect to licence-exempt bands, the 922MHz to 928MHz band and the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands have become available. On February 22 2017 the 920MHz to 925MHz band also became available for low-power IoT. In addition, it is planned that 839MHz to 851MHz in the 800MHz band will be provided for Taiwan Power Company's Advanced Metering Infrastructure. Bands below 1GHz are planned for telecommunications grade IoT frequencies.
The Regulations Governing Telecommunications Numbers, which were promulgated by the NCC on February 16 2017, deregulate the 040 prefix E.164 telecommunications numbers, which may be applied by Type I telecommunications enterprises for telecommunications grade IoT. Five million numbers will be assigned for the first application with up to 2.5 million numbers assigned for the second application. As compared with conventional data or voice applications, such large-scale deregulation will fully meet the needs of a telecommunications enterprise for providing IoT services.
According to the newly amended frequency assignment table promulgated by the Executive Yuan in February 2017, the NCC will gradually prescribe the additional technical specifications for low-power wide area network IoT equipment.
For further information on this topic please contact Arthur Shay at Shay & Partners by telephone (+886 2 8773 3600) or email ([email protected]). The Shay & Partners website can be accessed at www.elitelaw.com.