Taiwan market: NCC to shift fixed-mobile pricing to fixed telecom carriers in 2011

Taiwan's National Communications Commission (NCC) on December 25 decided to grant fixed-line telecommunication operators the right to set charge rates for voice communications from fixed-line telephone numbers to mobile phone numbers, effective on January 1, 2011, according to the NCC.

In order to boost the development of private operators of mobile communication services, the government gave the power of setting fees for fixed-to-mobile voice communications to such operators, the NCC pointed out. Now that the policy goal has been attained, the pricing right should be returned to originating side of such phone calls, the NCC explained.

The adjustment in who determines pricing is expected to allow more marketing and operational room for fixed-line telecommunication operators as well as more choices of services and lower prices for consumers, the NCC pointed out.

All prices for fixed-to-mobile voice calls from 2011 on should not be higher than the current rates and subscribers of a fixed-line operator will be allowed to select other operators to provide fixed-to-mobile voice communication services, noted the NCC.