臺灣

Market consolidation has reshaped Taiwan’s telecom market and the remaining operators now must prepare for the next phase

Taiwan’s mobile telecommunications market has undergone a major transformation, marked by market consolidation and a rapid, government-backed 5G deployment. This has reshaped the competitive landscape, moving from a five-player market to one dominated by three major operators: Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), Far EasTone (FET), and Taiwan Mobile (TWM). The mergers of Far EasTone with Asia Pacific Telecom and Taiwan Mobile with Taiwan Star have rebalanced market shares and enabled these operators to leverage expanded spectrum assets and achieve greater economies of scale.

Key Takeaways:

• Between the 1H 2024 and the 1H 2025, Taiwan’s 5G Availability increased from 62.1% to 69.3%. The nation lags behind regional leaders such as Hong Kong (83.9%) and South Korea (77.1%), but it is ahead of countries such as Singapore (67.9%) and India (60.5%). The timing of commercial 5G network launches, along with differences in spectrum access and market dynamics, influence each market’s reported 5G Availability.
• All three major Taiwanese operators showed improved 5G Availability, with FarEasTone leading at 72.4%, surpassing Chunghwa Telecom’s 69.8% and Taiwan Mobile’s 66.5%. From the 1H 2024 to the 1H 2025, Taiwan Mobile showed the largest gain, with an increase of 8.5 percentage points, followed by FarEasTone with a gain of 6.9 percentage points, and Chunghwa Telecom with 5.9 percentage points. 
• Despite FarEasTone’s lead in 5G Availability, Chunghwa Telecom holds a significant lead in performance. Chunghwa Telecom’s median download speed of 344.25 Mbps is 31.6% higher than FarEasTone’s and 54.1% higher than Taiwan Mobile’s. Chunghwa also recorded the highest median upload speed at 34.52 Mbps and the lowest multi-server latency at 23 ms.
• A significant portion of 5G-capable devices are not using the 5G network, with 40.1% of users having a 5G-capable device but not connecting to 5G. Even for those who are connected, users spend more than double the time on 4G than on 5G. This presents an opportunity for operators to increase 5G connection time through network modernization.

Taiwan’s 5G Availability nears 70%, behind Thailand and other regional leaders

Speedtest Intelligence® data from the first half of 2025 shows Taiwan’s 5G Availability (the percentage of users on 5G-capable devices that spend most of the time with access to 5G networks)  stands at 69.3%, placing it somewhere in the middle tier when compared to some of its selected neighboring countries. Taiwan’s 5G Availability is significantly behind regional leaders, such as Hong Kong at 83.9% and South Korea at 77.1%, but ahead of countries like Singapore at 67.9% and India at 60.5%. Factors such as the timing of commercial launches, spectrum access, and market dynamics, which include affordability and availability of 5G devices, influence each market’s reported 5G Availability.

South Korea and Hong Kong benefited from their early commercialization of 5G, which gave them a significant head start. South Korea, for instance, was the first country globally to launch commercial 5G services in April 2019, and has maintained its high availability through aggressive nationwide deployment strategies. Similarly, Hong Kong’s operators moved quickly after the initial spectrum release, leveraging the city’s compact urban geography and the use of low-band spectrum to deliver near-universal coverage efficiently. 

Strategic deployment and market consolidation drive Taiwan’s 5G Availability

Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, and FarEasTone secured significant holdings in the highly sought-after 3.5 GHz C-band during 2020 5G spectrum auction, with Chunghwa acquiring 90 MHz, FarEasTone 80 MHz, and Taiwan Mobile 60 MHz. While all three also won mmWave spectrum in the 28 GHz band, the C-band has emerged as the primary driver of both network performance and availability.

Since the auction, the market has been reshaped by two major mergers: Taiwan Mobile’s acquisition of Taiwan Star and FarEasTone’s acquisition of Asia Pacific Telecom (APT). These mergers have not only reduced the number of main operators from five to three but, more importantly, have led to the aggregation of spectrum, allowing the merged entities to create larger, more efficient bandwidth blocks. Taiwan Mobile’s merger with Taiwan Star enabled the company to combine their respective C-band holdings, forming a single 100 MHz block. Similarly, FarEasTone’s merger doubled its 28 GHz spectrum from 400 MHz to 800 MHz on top of the 80 MHz of the 3.5 GHz band it initially acquired.

Speedtest Intelligence data from the first half of 2025 highlights that C-band spectrum, a crucial mid-band frequency, accounts for the vast majority—85.5%—of all 5G Speedtest samples collected across Taiwan’s mobile networks. FarEasTone and Chunghwa Telecom showed a heavy reliance on the C-band, with 98.0% and 85.3% of their samples, respectively, originating from C-band. Taiwan Mobile, while still predominantly using C-band (78.6%), shows a more significant proportion of samples from the low-band at 21.1%, compared to its competitors. This reflects Taiwan Mobile’s strategic use of lower frequencies, which became more accessible following its merger with T Star.

Between the first half of 2024 and the first half of 2025, Taiwan’s 5G Availability for all providers combined increased from 62.1% to 69.3%. All three major operators demonstrated an improvement in 5G Availability. According to Speedtest Intelligence data from the first half of 2025, FarEasTone leads the market with 72.4% 5G Availability, which also saw 6.9 percentage points year-over-year improvement from 65.5% in 1H 2024. Chunghwa Telecom improved its 5G Availability from 63.9% to 69.8%, a gain of 5.9 percentage points while Taiwan Mobile 5G Availability grew from 58.0% to 66.5%, an increase of 8.5 percentage points.

Chunghwa Telecom’s higher speeds indicate performance does not always correlate with network availability

The 5G performance results of Taiwan’s mobile operators show a more pronounced distinction than their 5G Availability scores. Based on Speedtest Intelligence data from the first half of 2025, Chunghwa Telecom held a commanding lead across both download and upload speeds, reaching a median download of 344.25 Mbps. This speed was 31.6% higher than FarEasTone’s and 54.1% higher than Taiwan Mobile’s. Chunghwa also recorded the highest median upload speed at 34.52 Mbps and the lowest multi-server latency at 23 ms.

FarEasTone, while leading in 5G Availability, fell behind Chunghwa in median download and upload speeds, with a reported median speed of 261.17 Mbps and 28.92 Mbps, respectively. This difference clearly indicates that broader 5G Availability does not always translate to the same level of speed performance. Taiwan Mobile, meanwhile, trailed both rivals, with the lowest median download and upload speeds.

Proportion of 5G-capable devices shows opportunities for better adoption

Of all devices taking a Speedtest, only 46.7% were 5G-capable devices that were connected to a 5G network when running a Speedtest. A large portion, 40.1%, were 5G-capable but are yet to be connected to a 5G network, while 13.2% were non-5G devices. This suggests that despite the widespread availability of 5G-capable devices, a substantial percentage of users are either not on a 5G plan or are operating in areas with limited 5G coverage, a key area for operator focus.

The operators already have a base of consumers who own 5G-capable devices, with varying levels of success in converting 5G-capable devices into active 5G connections. Chunghwa Telecom demonstrates the most effective user adoption strategy, with 88.3% of its customer base owning 5G-capable devices, and 50.6% of its users conducting tests on 5G in 1H 2025. Chunghwa’s performance is further highlighted by its low proportion of non-5G devices at just 11.1%, indicating a more modern device base compared to its rivals. In contrast, both FarEasTone and Taiwan Mobile trail the market in converting 5G-capable devices to active 5G connections. With 45.5% for FarEasTone and 45.0% for Taiwan Mobile, both operators fall below the national average. Additionally, both show a higher proportion of non-5G devices, 14.6% for FarEasTone and 14.8% for Taiwan Mobile, suggesting a potential lag in device modernization.

5G-capable devices still spend most of their connected time on 4G network

Even with a growing number of 5G-capable devices, Taiwan’s mobile users still spend the majority of their time on the 4G network. This trend is consistent across all three major operators. Data from the first half of 2025 shows that for all 5G-capable devices, time spent on 4G is more than double the time spent on 5G.

Chunghwa Telecom demonstrates the highest proportion of users spending time on 5G, with 5G-capable devices spending 32.4% of their time on the 5G network. In contrast, both FarEasTone and Taiwan Mobile trail the market, with their 5G-capable devices spending only 27.8% and 27.7% of their time on 5G, respectively. For all operators, the proportion of time spent on 4G is far higher, reaching 66.2% for Chunghwa Telecom and over 70% for both FarEasTone and Taiwan Mobile.

Spectrum choice can also play a big role in shaping the time users spend on a 5G network. Techniques like Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) allow operators to use the same frequency bands for both 4G and 5G simultaneously, facilitating a more rapid and cost-effective rollout of 5G services. Operators should also prioritize densifying their 5G networks by expanding indoor coverage and adding more small cell sites in high-traffic areas. These efforts would reduce the reliance on 4G for stability and a wider range of services, ultimately increasing the time spent on 5G and validating the significant network investments.

We will keep a close eye on the progress and effectiveness of 5G implementation in Taiwan and its regional neighbours. To find out more about Ookla Speedtest data,  get in touch.

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從覆蓋到使用：縮短 5G 用戶採用落差

市場整合重塑了台灣的電信市場，剩下的營運商現在必須為下一階段做好準備

台灣的移動電信市場經歷了重大轉型，其特點是市場整合和政府支持的快速 5G 部署。這重塑了競爭格局，從五家電信商的市場轉變為由三大主要營運商主導：中華電信（CHT）、遠傳電信（FET）和台灣大哥大（TWM）。遠傳電信與亞太電信的合併，以及台灣大哥大與台灣之星的合併，重新平衡了市場份額，並使這些營運商能夠利用擴大的頻譜資產，實現更大的規模經濟效益。

主要重點：

• 從 2024 年上半年到 2025 年上半年，台灣的 5G 可用率從 62.1% 提高到 69.3%。 台灣落後於香港（83.9%）和韓國（77.1%）等區域領先者，但領先於新加坡（67.9%）和印度（60.5%）等國家。商業 5G 網路發布的時間，以及頻譜接入和市場動態的差異，影響了各個市場報告的 5G 可用率。
• 台灣所有三大主要營運商的 5G 可用率均有所提高，其中遠傳電信以 72.4% 領先，超過中華電信的 69.8% 和台灣大哥大的 66.5%。 從 2024 年上半年到 2025 年上半年，台灣大哥大增幅最大，增加了 8.5 個百分點，其次是遠傳電信增加了 6.9 個百分點，中華電信增加了 5.9 個百分點。
• 儘管遠傳電信在 5G 可用率方面領先，但中華電信在性能方面擁有顯著優勢。 中華電信的中位下載速度為 344.25 Mbps，比遠傳電信高出 31.6%，比台灣大哥大高出 54.1%。中華電信還記錄了最高的中位上傳速度（34.52 Mbps）和最低的多伺服器延遲（23 毫秒）。
• 很大一部分具備 5G 功能的設備未使用 5G 網路，有 40.1% 的用戶擁有具備 5G 功能的設備但未連接到 5G。 即使對於那些已連接的用戶，在 4G 上花費的時間也比在 5G 上花費的時間多出一倍以上。這為營運商提供了一個通過網路現代化來增加 5G 連接時間的機會。

台灣 5G 可用率接近 70%，落後於泰國和其他區域領先者

Speedtest Intelligence® 2025 年上半年的數據顯示，台灣的 5G 可用率（使用具備 5G 功能的設備且大部分時間可接入 5G 網路的用戶百分比）為 69.3%，與選定的一些鄰近國家相比，處於中等水平。台灣的 5G 可用率顯著落後於香港（83.9%）和韓國（77.1%）等區域領先者，但領先於新加坡（67.9%）和印度（60.5%）等國家。商業發布時間、頻譜接入以及包括 5G 設備可負擔性和可用性在內的市場動態等因素，影響了各個市場報告的 5G 可用率。

韓國和香港從其早期的 5G 商業化中受益，獲得了顯著的先發優勢。例如，韓國是全球第一個於 2019 年 4 月推出商業 5G 服務的國家，並通過積極的全國性部署策略保持了高可用率。同樣地，香港的營運商在初始頻譜釋放後迅速行動，利用該城市緊湊的城市地理環境和低頻段頻譜的使用，有效地實現了接近普及的覆蓋。

策略性部署和市場整合推動台灣的 5G 可用率

中華電信、台灣大哥大和遠傳電信在 2020 年的 5G 頻譜拍賣中，獲得了備受追捧的 3.5 GHz C 頻段的大量持有，其中中華電信獲得 90 MHz，遠傳電信獲得 80 MHz，台灣大哥大獲得 60 MHz。雖然這三家營運商也都贏得了 28 GHz 頻段的毫米波 (mmWave) 頻譜，但 C 頻段已成為網路性能和可用率的主要驅動力。

自拍賣以來，市場因兩大合併案而重塑：台灣大哥大收購台灣之星，以及遠傳電信收購亞太電信 (APT)。這些合併不僅將主要營運商的數量從五家減少到三家，更重要的是，它們促成了頻譜的整合，使得合併後的實體能夠創建更大、更高效的頻寬區塊。台灣大哥大與台灣之星的合併使其能夠整合各自的 C 頻段持有，形成一個單一的 100 MHz 區塊。同樣地，遠傳電信的合併使其 28 GHz 頻譜在最初獲得的 3.5 GHz 頻段 80 MHz 基礎上翻倍，從 400 MHz 增加到 800 MHz。

Speedtest Intelligence 2025 年上半年的數據強調，C 頻段頻譜，這個關鍵的中頻段頻率，佔台灣移動網路收集到的所有 5G Speedtest 樣本的絕大多數——85.5%。遠傳電信和中華電信對 C 頻段的依賴性很高，其樣本分別有 98.0% 和 85.3% 來自 C 頻段。台灣大哥大雖然仍以使用 C 頻段為主（78.6%），但來自低頻段的樣本比例（21.1%）比其競爭對手更為顯著。這反映了台灣大哥大對低頻率的策略性使用，這些頻率在其與台灣之星合併後變得更容易取得。

在 2024 年上半年和 2025 年上半年之間，台灣所有供應商合計的 5G 可用率從 62.1% 增加到 69.3%。所有三家主要營運商的 5G 可用率均有所提升。根據 Speedtest Intelligence 2025 年上半年的數據，遠傳電信以 72.4% 的 5G 可用率領先市場，其年增長率也從 2024 年上半年的 65.5% 提高了 6.9 個百分點。中華電信的 5G 可用率從 63.9% 提高到 69.8%，增加了 5.9 個百分點，而台灣大哥大的 5G 可用率從 58.0% 增長到 66.5%，增加了 8.5 個百分點。

中華電信更高的速度表明性能並不總是與網路可用率相關聯

台灣移動營運商的 5G 性能結果顯示出比其 5G 可用率分數更為顯著的區別。根據 Speedtest Intelligence 2025 年上半年的數據，中華電信在下載和上傳速度方面均保持領先地位，中位下載速度達到 344.25 Mbps。這個速度比遠傳電信高出 31.6%，比台灣大哥大高出 54.1%。中華電信還記錄了最高的中位上傳速度（34.52 Mbps）和最低的多伺服器延遲 23 毫秒.

遠傳電信雖然在 5G 可用率方面領先，但在中位下載和上傳速度方面落後於中華電信，報告的中位速度分別為 261.17 Mbps 和 28.92 Mbps。這種差異清楚地表明，更廣泛的 5G 可用率並不總是能轉化為相同水平的速度性能。同時，台灣大哥大落後於這兩個競爭對手，其下載和上傳速度均為最低中位數。

具備 5G 功能的設備比例顯示了更好的採用機會

在所有進行 Speedtest 的設備中，只有 46.7% 是在運行 Speedtest 時連接到 5G 網路的具備 5G 功能的設備。很大一部分（40.1%）是具備 5G 功能但尚未連接到 5G 網路的設備，而 13.2% 是非 5G 設備。這表明，儘管具備 5G 功能的設備已廣泛可用，但仍有很大比例的用戶要么沒有使用 5G 方案，要么在 5G 覆蓋有限的地區運行，這是營運商需要重點關注的領域。

營運商已經擁有一批擁有具備 5G 功能設備的用戶群，但在將具備 5G 功能的設備轉化為活躍的 5G 連接方面，成功程度各不相同。中華電信展示了最有效的用戶採用策略，其客戶群中有 88.3% 擁有具備 5G 功能的設備，且在 2025 年上半年有 50.6% 的用戶在 5G 網路上進行測試。中華電信的表現進一步突出在其非 5G 設備比例較低，僅為 11.1%，這表明與競爭對手相比，其設備基礎更為現代化。相比之下，遠傳電信和台灣大哥大在將具備 5G 功能的設備轉化為活躍 5G 連接方面均落後於市場。遠傳電信為 45.5%，台灣大哥大為 45.0%，兩家營運商均低於全國平均水平。此外，兩家公司的非 5G 設備比例也較高，遠傳電信為 14.6%，台灣大哥大為 14.8%，這表明設備現代化可能存在滯後。

具備 5G 功能的設備仍將大部分連線時間花費在 4G 網路上

即使具備 5G 功能的設備數量不斷增加，台灣的行動用戶仍將大部分時間花費在 4G 網路上。這一趨勢在所有三家主要營運商中都是一致的。2025 年上半年的數據顯示，對於所有具備 5G 功能的設備，花費在 4G 上的時間是花費在 5G 上的時間的兩倍以上.

In 中華電信展示了用戶花費在 5G 上時間的最高比例，具備 5G 功能的設備將 32.4% 的時間花費在 5G 網路上。相比之下，遠傳電信和台灣大哥大都落後於市場，他們具備 5G 功能的設備花費在 5G 上的時間分別只有 27.8% 和 27.7%。對於所有營運商來說，花費在 4G 上的時間比例要高得多，中華電信達到 66.2%，遠傳電信和台灣大哥大都超過 70%。

頻譜選擇在決定用戶花費在 5G 網路上的時間方面也可以發揮重要作用。動態頻譜共享 (DSS) 等技術允許營運商同時將相同的頻段用於 4G 和 5G，從而有助於更快、更具成本效益地推出 5G 服務。營運商還應優先通過擴展室內覆蓋範圍和在高流量區域增加更多小型基地台來加密其 5G 網路。這些努力將減少對 4G 的穩定性和更廣泛服務的依賴，最終增加花費在 5G 上的時間，並驗證重大的網路投資。

我們將繼續密切關注台灣及其區域鄰國 5G 實施的進展和有效性。要了解更多關於 Ookla Speedtest 數據的資訊，請聯繫我們.