Chunghwa Telecom announced a strategic partnership with U.S. satellite innovator Astranis to deploy Taiwan’s first dedicated communications satellite, bolstering the island’s network resilience amid growing regional tensions. The deal, valued at up to $115 million according to company filings with the Taipei Stock Exchange, will see the MicroGEO satellite launched by year-end with services beginning in 2026.
The third-generation MicroGEO satellite features rapid deployment capabilities and high performance, significantly expanding satellite capacity over Taiwan’s airspace. This collaboration completes Chunghwa’s multi-orbit satellite strategy, complementing its existing partnerships with London-based Eutelsat OneWeb for low-earth orbit services and Luxembourg’s SES for medium-earth orbit communications.
Chairman Alex Chien emphasized the partnership’s role in creating a “dedicated, secure digital infrastructure” that serves as a critical backup against natural disasters, submarine cable disruptions, and geopolitical uncertainties. The company expects satellite services to generate more than NT$1 billion (US$30.3 million) in revenue this year, up from approximately NT$700 million last year.
For San Francisco-based Astranis, which has more than 10 satellites on contract worldwide representing over $1 billion in satellite services sold, the Taiwan partnership advances its mission of providing dedicated satellite capacity to regions where it’s most needed. Chunghwa is reportedly also exploring potential partnerships with Amazon’s Project Kuiper as part of its expanding satellite strategy.
