ACADEMIA

NewNet Communication Technologies announced that Taiwan based Vee TIME Corporation, a diversified, quadruple play service provider, has continued the expansion of its highly successful Taiwan high speed railway broadband network (THSR*) with NewNet’s WiMAX technology and solution portfolio. Vee TIME Corp launched its initial high speed railway broadband services to its customers at the beginning of 2012 with NewNet WiMAX 4G technology.

The initial launch of this service was the first time WiMAX technology had been used to support broadband access for passengers on a high speed rail service. In the next phase, Vee TIME Corp will extend the broadband services to the northern rail route increasing the capacity and coverage offered by the network.

The high speed railway passengers connect to the Vee TIME Corp network directly with WiMAX devices or through the onboard Wi-Fi network which in turn connects to the WiMAX network for broadband connectivity. The broadband service provides a much improved travel experience to commuters with options to view TV channels such as veetv.com.tw, watch their favorite television programs live, surf the web and consume online content with a wide variety of devices.

“We are very pleased with the launch of the broadband service on the high-speed rail system using WiMAX technology. We have delivered a very convenient and easy to use service to our customers. The service enhances the customer’s travel experience and builds loyalty while also providing us with an opportunity to offer a broader range of additional services to them. Customers value their time and having anytime, anywhere wireless broadband access helps them make the most out of their busy schedules,” said Richard Lai, Chairman, Vee TIME Corp. “NewNet not only delivers a high performance WiMAX system solution but also has enabled our successful launch with superior support services. NewNet’s commitment to the continued investment into the WiMAX technology and product suite gives us the confidence to continue to invest in ensuring delivery of reliable broadband services to the THSR passengers and will allow us to focus on delivering a complete mobile experience to our customers.”

“WiMAX is an ideal high performance and cost effective communications technology for this type of high speed transport application. Our early success in partnering with Vee TIME Corp on the high speed rail deployment of broadband has proven to be a great success with widespread adoption,” said Scott Morrison, EVP and President of the Telecom Infrastructure Business Unit at NewNet. “The WiMAX service can easily accommodate Vee TIME Corp plans to add more capabilities and choices to enhance the commuter experience. The success of the Vee TIME Corp broadband network service across the high speed rail network has captured significant attention as a model application as many countries are seeking to install similar networks for their in transit customers.”

NewNet has customized the system deployed for the Vee TIME Corp broadband service to accommodate the needs of high-speed rail, enabling uninterrupted onboard connectivity, even at speeds as high as 285 kilometer per hour. The network expansion contract calls for NewNet to provide a range of services including network implementation, optimization and a full set of hardware and software maintenance services, to enable a fast rollout scheduled for the June 2012 timeframe.