Ericsson CEO Per Narvinger is betting on AI to drive the next wave of telecom equipment demand, as the Swedish vendor develops dedicated radio access network (RAN) chips, strengthens its indoor 5G business and targets opportunities in the 6G era.

GIS is shifting from touch displays to semiconductor optics, with laser packaging entering small-volume production in the fourth quarter of 2026 and full capacity expected by the second or third quarter of 2027. Chairman Hsien-ying Chou said production lines have been installed progressively since the second quarter, supported by incoming equipment and customer-supplied materials. Passive optical components and Micro LED applications are also part of the company's expansion.

Taiwan's proposed 2027 government budget would fund a low Earth orbit satellite network using Amazon Leo, adding backup communications for critical sites during disasters and emergencies. The plan reflects concern over the island's reliance on submarine cables and seeks to strengthen connectivity for government, response, medical, and other essential services.

Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) plans to begin preparatory work in 2027 for a potential 6G spectrum release, as licenses for the 700MHz, 900MHz, and 1800MHz bands are due to expire at the end of 2030. The ministry has said the schedule, frequencies, and method for any 6G licensing remain under study and have not been finalized.

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) is expanding its investment in film and television content as competition in Taiwan's over-the-top (OTT) market intensifies. The Chunghwa Digital Cultural and Creative Fund (CDCCF), jointly backed by CHT, the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), and E.Sun Bank, began operations in 2026 and recently announced 10 new investments to broaden opportunities for Taiwan's film and television industry through funding, international co-production, and overseas partnerships.

A future communications network capable of detecting certain forms of eavesdropping may depend on something remarkably small: a semiconductor device designed to emit individual particles of light.

Nvidia, SK Telecom and South Korean AI chip startup Rebellions have agreed to develop rack-scale AI inference systems that combine Nvidia GPUs with Rebellions' next-generation neural processing units (NPUs), bringing Korean-designed accelerators into Nvidia's data center infrastructure.

Alphabet has acquired a stake worth nearly US$548 million in Qualcomm, strengthening the financial ties between the longtime partners as the chipmaker seeks to diversify beyond smartphones and establish a foothold in the rapidly expanding AI data-center market.

China Mobile plans procurement exceeding CNY500 billion (≈ US$75.1 billion) in 2027, including more than CNY100 billion for AI computing infrastructure, signaling a shift from conventional telecom services towards large-scale AI infrastructure. Chairman Zhongyue Chen expects intelligent computing capacity to double in each of the next two years, supported by an expanding network of gigawatt-scale data centers.

FarEasTone Telecommunications is evaluating opportunities in AI data centers (AIDCs) but has no concrete plans to build a new facility, according to company president Chee Ching. Speaking at the company's latest earnings call, Ching said that FarEasTone will assess actual market demand to consider effective strategies for utilizing resources across the corporate group.

Taiwan Mobile said its wholly owned subsidiary, Taiwan Cellular, had satisfied all conditions for its tender offer for Systex Corporation shares, clearing the way for the telecom operator to raise its stake in the information-services provider to 61.02%. The announcement was made on November 6 as the companies moved to expand their enterprise technology businesses through cross-selling, artificial intelligence (AI) and regional growth.

UK-based AI computing infrastructure startup Nscale, backed by Nvidia, is planning a US$35 billion initial public offering (IPO) in 2026. However, Microsoft, one of its major customers, has reportedly decided not to exercise an option to expand its computing capacity lease at a Texas data center.

Chunghwa Telecom is expanding its Google partnership by bringing the latest Google AI services to consumers, with the aim of achieving 200,000 subscribers in the first year, according to Chunghwa Telecom Consumer Business Group president Hsueh-hai Hu. The focus will be on converting existing Google One users to higher-tier plans by combining cloud storage with AI features.

Largan Technology reported October revenue of NT$5.846 billion (US$178.1 million) on November 5, down 7.0% year-over-year, while moving to consolidate its camera actuator subsidiary and advance co-packaged optics (CPO) products. Revenue for the first 10 months of 2026 reached NT$50.705 billion, an increase of approximately 1% from the same period a year earlier, as the smartphone camera lens market entered its seasonal slowdown.

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) reported consolidated revenue of NT$675.9 billion (US$2.06 billion) for the third quarter of 2026, up 16.7% year over year, with revenue, operating profit, net income attributable to shareholders, and earnings per share all exceeding the high end of its financial forecast.

Rising global oil prices have driven up food costs, squeezing consumer discretionary budgets for products with higher price elasticity, such as smartphones and consumer electronics. A specialized report from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) reveals that in 2025, global ICT goods and services exports reached US$3.6 trillion and US$1.4 trillion, respectively. Saturated market demand capped average annual export growth for telecommunications equipment and consumer electronics at just 2.5% and 0.9%, respectively.

AI data centers are accelerating demand for high-speed optical communications, extending competition in the optical transceiver market beyond chips and module manufacturing to critical upstream materials. Indium phosphide (InP), a key substrate for high-speed optical lasers and optoelectronic devices, is increasingly sought after as 800G and 1.6T transceivers gain traction. With capacity expansion requiring time and product qualification presenting technical hurdles, securing InP wafer supplies has become a strategic priority for optical communications companies.

Qualcomm has secured a role in SpaceX's planned US terrestrial mobile network, turning Starlink Mobile's ambitions for integrated satellite and ground-based connectivity into a named infrastructure deployment. Announced November 4, the multi-year agreement calls for rollout to begin in 2027, with tens of thousands of sites planned over the life of the deal.

Taiwan and the Netherlands announced four joint research and development collaborations on November 4 under their bilateral Technology Bridge Program, targeting photonic packaging, 5G and 6G communications, AI data center connectivity, and quantum computing. The agreements were unveiled during PIC Summit Europe as both sides sought to deepen semiconductor cooperation and strengthen supply chain resilience despite having no formal diplomatic relations.

Weblink International Inc. reported record profit for both the third quarter of 2026 and the first three quarters, driven by growing enterprise AI adoption and sales of new products. The company's board approved its third-quarter 2026 financial report on November 3.

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) is expanding its partnership with Google beyond Google One, YouTube Premium and Pixel smartphone sales to include GenAI services. On November 4, CHT announced plans to introduce Google's latest AI offerings through its channels, while Google Taiwan said the partners will launch more initiatives in 2027 to promote AI-enabled living.

China-based optical communications module maker Zhongji InnoLight reported strong results for the third quarter of 2026 as global AI infrastructure expansion drove robust demand for high-speed optical transceiver modules and increased shipments of 800G and 1.6T products. Revenue reached CNY27.769 billion (US$4.17 billion), up 171.83% year over year, while net profit attributable to the parent company rose 173.74% to CNY8.587 billion.

Marvell's proposed US$115 billion acquisition of Lumentum could bring Taiwanese optical component makers more orders, industry sources in Taiwan say. The deal, due to close in the first half of 2028, would combine Marvell's chip design and optical module capabilities with Lumentum's laser technology and manufacturing capacity.

Universal Scientific Industrial (USI), a subsidiary of ASE, plans to launch Wi-Fi 8 (IEEE 802.11bn) products in the first quarter of 2027, building on its experience developing and integrating Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 system-in-package (SiP) solutions to help customers capture new opportunities in wireless connectivity innovation.

Japan's Mitsui Kinzoku has announced its third capacity expansion plan since the start of fiscal 2026 for MicroThin, its ultrathin copper foil used in optical communications equipment. The company is accelerating production expansion to meet sustained growth in market demand.