Chunghwa Telecom has emerged as the top performer among Taiwan’s telecom operators, delivering the best 5G and overall mobile network experience, according to the latest Opensignal report.
Thailand’s telecom market is dominated by three main operators: AIS (Advanced Info Service), True Corp, and NT (National Telecom).
Investment
All three operators have been investing heavily in 5G infrastructure and digital transformation. AIS and True Corp are at the forefront of 5G rollout, having acquired significant spectrum during recent auctions and deploying services in major urban areas and industrial zones.
AIS has focused on expanding its network capacity and digital services, while True has emphasized its convergence strategy across mobile, broadband, and digital content. NT, though less aggressive in mobile, is leveraging its nationwide fiber network and public sector partnerships for growth.
AIS leads the market with over 45 million mobile subscribers, maintaining its position as the largest operator in the country.
In 2024 AIS allocated roughly ฿25–26 billion in capital expenditure — down from ฿41 billion in 2023 — focusing around 60 percent on mobile (predominantly 5G), 28 percent on broadband and the remainder on enterprise and other services.
For 2025 AIS has budgeted ฿26–27 billion, targeting further expansion of mobile and fiber networks, plus enhancing cloud infrastructure and data centers. .
True Corp, which completed a merger with DTAC in 2023, has a combined subscriber base of around 50 million, making it a close rival to AIS in terms of scale and coverage.
True Corp (post-True–DTAC merger) spent ฿30 billion in 2024 on network modernization and integration, especially 5G rollout and automation systems, and plans similar capex of around ฿28–30 billion in 2025. In Q1 2025 alone, True recorded ฿5.5 billion CAPEX, with nearly half tied to integration and network upgrades.
National Telecom, the state-owned entity formed from the merger of TOT and CAT Telecom, has a smaller share of the mobile market but plays a crucial role in fixed-line and enterprise services.
NT initially set aside ฿6 billion for 2024 network and equipment investment, but cut ฿1 billion and reviewed further ฿500 million in reductions, leaving around ฿4.5 billion, Bangpost reports.
Opensignal report
Evaluating mobile network experience over a 90-day period from February to May, the study highlights Chunghwa’s dominance in speed, reliability, and consistency.
Chunghwa led the market with an average 5G download speed of 305.6 Mbps—far ahead of Far EasTone’s 218.9 Mbps and Taiwan Mobile’s 183 Mbps. In overall download speeds across all network types, Chunghwa again ranked first with 98.8 Mbps. This strong performance contributed to Chunghwa winning 12 awards outright and sharing three others, including top honors for overall experience, 5G performance, coverage, and network consistency.
Customer experience was a clear area of strength for Chunghwa. It was the outright winner in both Consistent Quality and Reliability Experience categories — marking a notable improvement from the previous report where it only shared the Reliability award and missed out on Consistent Quality.
Far EasTone, which merged with Asia Pacific Telecom in 2023, excelled in 5G availability, topping the category with a score of 36.1 percent, up from 31.2 percent previously. Its users spent the most time on 5G, reflecting strong 5G access. Far EasTone also earned top marks in 5G Video Experience and shared the award for overall availability, matching Chunghwa and Taiwan Mobile with a score of 99.4 percent.
Taiwan Mobile, following its merger with T-Star, made gains in video-related performance. It scored 73.3 in Overall Video Experience, an increase from 71.6 in the previous period, earning the joint award for the second consecutive time. Taiwan Mobile also shared the 5G Video Experience award.
All three operators shared the award for overall availability, signaling steady improvements across Taiwan’s mobile networks. With over 10 million 5G users nationwide as of November, the competitive landscape reflects significant investments in network quality and customer experience. However, Chunghwa’s consistent leadership in key metrics positions it as the standout telecom provider in Taiwan.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
