The announcement comes as a response to SpaceX's Starlink service's reluctance to accept a local ownership requirement, making it impossible for it to land in Taiwan. Meanwhile, Eutelsat OneWeb's bandwidth is deemed insufficient to meet Taiwan's demands.
According to reports, Amazon plans to deploy a satellite constellation by early 2025 and start offering services by the end of the year. Considering Taiwan's history of experiencing underwater cable disruptions, developing satellite internet as an alternative communication system holds significant strategic importance.
Taiwan's efforts to secure a backup communication network, separate from underwater cables, gain momentum with the Amazon partnership. The discussions aim to provide an internet connection option that is less prone to disruptions and enhances communication security.
It remains to be seen how the talks will unfold, but the potential for satellite internet to become a key alternative in Taiwan's communication infrastructure is real.