Urban development in Taiwan - another ambitious plan

Just two days ago, we wrote about the development of Intelligent Cities in Malaysia, and the “Crystal Valley” planned in Korea (http://asiabusinessconsulting.blogspot.com/2004_06_01_asiabusinessconsulting_archive.html#108858466770136337).

Now it is Taiwan’s turn and it is their aim to take Taiwan from a number 20 ranking to the top 5 countries in the world for wireless online access. Parallel, it is planned to bring the charge service fees down by some 80 percent to be competitive with the top ten most inexpensive national rates in the world.

Officials from the Cabinet-level Science and Technology Advisory Group outlined their plans that before the end of this decade, individuals would be able to get online connections with broadband services for teleconference calls, watching videos, and listening to downloaded music through mobile phone devices both at home and in public places with the completion of the "M-Taiwan" (Mobile Taiwan) project.

The project sounds ambitious but exciting – it involves the set up the basic infrastructures to combine cellular phone network service, IT computer platforms, and broadband Internet links with a total 6,000 kilometers of the broadband fixed networks, and 10 "mobile cities" plus 15 "special mobile districts" around Taiwan by 2008.

If the plans keep coming this way and if countries start implementing and executing on their goals, the scope for competition becomes wider – Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and, earlier, Singapore, follow Silicon Valley – who is following them. If the trend continues, this will quickly become the baseline of the future for competition amongst countries, as companies will come to expect this environment for investment.