2026-02-25

Global Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Deployment and the Transformation of Taiwan’s Supply Chain

Source / Copilot (AI-generated image) The Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite industry is entering a critical phase, transitioning from technical validation to large-scale commercialization. As launch costs fall sharply and 5G/6G standards formally incorporate Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), satellite communications have become essential for filling coverage gaps in terrestrial networks and enabling seamless global connectivity. According to MarketsandMarkets, the global LEO satellite market is projected to grow from US$11.8 billion in 2025 to over US$20.6 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9%. Two major engines: satellite manufacturing and launch services, will drive the growth momentum. The surge is not only a commercial competition, but also reflects countries’ strategic deployment in next-generation communications, indicating that LEO satellites have emerged as the most dynamic global technology arena after semiconductors. The Developing Trends of the LEO Satellite Industry The global LEO Satellite industry is evolving along two parallel tracks: U.S.-based giants lead the market, while European players consolidate through mergers and integration. Competition has shifted from mere satellite deployment to service applications and terminal optimization. SpaceX’s Starlink remains in the lead with nearly 7,000 satellites deployed and more than 9 million users worldwide. Its second-generation satellites are accelerating the adoption of Direct-to-Cell technology, reshaping the mobile communications landscape. Amazon is close behind – having completed initial launches and testing for its LEO program in 2025; it plans to launch more than 3,000 satellites targeting enterprise and logistics markets. Following the merger with the UK-based OneWeb, France’s Eutelsat has adopted a multi-orbit strategy, combining the wide coverage of Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites with the low-latency of LEO systems to provide differentiated communications services. Technological innovation is also advancing rapidly: Inter-Satellite Links (ISL) have become a standard for boosting transmission efficiency, and the falling cost of phased array antennas is accelerating the commercial adoption of user terminals. These trends enable a deeper integration between terrestrial base stations and Non-Terrestrial Networks, solidifying LEO satellites as a central pillar of next-generation global communications infrastructure. The Strength of Taiwan’s Supply Chain Drives International Collaboration Amid a geopolitical push for “trusted supply chains”, Taiwan has leveraged its strong ICT and precision-manufacturing capabilities to secure a critical position within the core supplier networks of major global companies. Key Components: COMPEQ, a global leader in High-Density Interconnect (HDI) printed circuit boards, expanded production capacity in 2026 to meet demand from SpaceX and Amazon. Unitech has also focused on satellite-specific PCBs and launched a new wave of mass production plans in 2026, deepening its technological integration with U.S.-based customers. Universal Microwave Technology (UMT), with its dominant expertise in millimeter-wave (mmWave) components, has become a key partner for SpaceX, extending its technological footprint from ground stations to satellite payloads and core components for direct-to-device satellite communications. Subsystems and terminals: Microelectronics Technology Inc. (MTI) has entered the supply chain for Canada-based Telesat’s Lightspeed constellation and also provides high-frequency transceiver modules for SpaceX ground stations. TONG HSING Electronic, leveraging its advanced high-frequency ceramic packaging technology, has long supplied RF transceiver modules for SpaceX satellites. In addition, antenna specialist Auden Tech and New Era Electronics—the world’s largest substrate manufacturer for Low-Noise Block (LNB) downconverters—play critical roles in ground terminals and high-frequency substrate applications. Taiwan is also ramping up service deployment. Eutelsat collaborated with Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs in 2024 to support emergency communications in disaster areas, while Amazon has been actively discussing local deployment with Far EasTone Telecommunications and Chunghwa Telecom. These developments demonstrate Taiwan’s transition from a pure manufacturing base to a strategic partner in international satellite service ecosystems. The Current Status of Taiwan’s Industry and Policy Initiatives Taiwan’s LEO satellite industry chain has expanded beyond ground equipment to space-grade components, laying the foundation for comprehensive system integration capability. Under Space Program Phase III 2.0, led by the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), the government plans to invest a total of NT$71 billion by 2031 and has set a strategic goal of launching Taiwan’s first domestically developed Beyond 5G (B5G) LEO communications satellite by 2027. A major milestone was achieved with the successful launch of the Chi Po-lin Satellite in November 2025. This project brought together more than 20 Taiwanese companies, including Rapidtek and Pyras, achieving a domestic content ratio of up to 84%. This accomplishment not only showcases national capabilities in high-resolution optical remote sensing but also establishes critical flight heritage for Taiwan’s local supply chain. It serves as strong proof to the global market that Taiwan possesses the maturity and reliability required to undertake advanced international satellite system development projects. Conclusion As the global LEO satellite industry evolves from hardware deployment toward application-driven innovation, Taiwan—anchored by its robust semiconductor and ICT industries—has emerged as a key option for de-risking international supply chains. Moving forward, Taiwan’s priorities will be to seize opportunities for international collaboration, steadily advancing from component manufacturing to subsystem integration, and expand into emerging fields such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and 6G. Through the accumulation of indigenous technologies and deeper partnerships with global players, Taiwan is well-positioned to play a stable, resilient, and strategically significant role in the global space economy.

2023-11-14

5G Summit hosted by MOEA to strengthen Taiwan's role in Open RAN and global supply chain

Amid the global restructuring of supply chains and the rise of Open RAN, the MOEA is propelling Taiwan's entry into the global supply chain. The "2023 5G Summit" was held at Taipei International Convention Center (TICC) and participants from the U.S., the U.K., and Germany, have attended to this summit and took part in Taiwan's ICT ecosystem. The event has demonstrated Taiwanese vendors' 5G Open RAN capabilities and MOEA's role in forging global partnerships. In her opening remarks, Minister Mei-Hua Wang pointed out that Taiwan's longstanding reputation as a reliable player in the global supply chain is anchored in its formidable semiconductor and ICT industries. Minister Wang emphasized that in the Open RAN trend, Taiwanese companies have not only enhanced expertise through international interoperability testing and large-scale commercial applications but also have successfully expanded their outreach into the international arena. In recent years, MOEA has been encouraging partnerships between Taiwanese companies and counterparts in the U.S. and Europe, where Open RAN is rapidly developing. Such initiatives have brought international acclaim to the prowess of Taiwan's 5G industry. In 2020, the MOEA launched Taiwan's "Open Networking Lab." In 2021, in collaboration with the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), which became the first TIP Community Lab in Asia Pacific for Open RAN product testing. To date, this lab has facilitated 25 Taiwanese vendors in validating their products. Notably, eight vendors from Taiwan, including Edgecore Networks, HTC G REIGNS, LIONS Technology, Pegatron, QCT, Tailyn, Ufi Space, and WNC, have earned TIP badges for their products. These products are also listed in the TIP Marketplace for being considered and adopted by both domestic operators like Taiwan Mobile, global operators, and system integrators. Furthermore, with support from MOEA, LIONS Technology, and QCT achieved remarkable success in the 5G Challenge hosted by the U.S. Department of Defense in conjunction with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Competing with  internationally renowned companies, this two Taiwanese companies have won three major awards, including the top Mobility Prize, and received a total of 2 million USD in prize money. They were the only winners from Asia, marking Taiwan's significant recognition in the global 5G arena. The summit featured esteemed guests from the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), the Aerial Experimentation and Research Platform for Advanced Wireless (AERPAW) based in North Carolina, U.S.A., and key players from three pivotal Open RAN testing platforms-NTIA from U.S.A., i14y Lab from Germany, and SONIC Labs from the U.K. While gathering in Taiwan, these delegates have discussed the complexities of testing, deploying, and how to utilize national policies to enter global markets. This international assembly fostered a rich dialogue to cultivate resilient supply chain partnerships. The 5G Summit not only displayed Taiwan's dynamism in the ICT industries but also facilitated in-depth conversations and collaborative ventures with leading industry organizations worldwide. Moving forward, the MOEA is committed to strengthening ties by exchanging insights on testing and deployment with our partners in USA, UK, and Germany to jointly promote a more interconnected international supply chain.

2023-10-27

2023 Europe-Taiwan Telecom Forum

Rapid and ever evolving advances in technology and telecommunications hardware and software have been at the forefront of driving sustainability by increasing the power, speed and quality of communications while constantly improving energy efficiency. Telecoms are playing a leading role in enabling digital innovation and transformation and unleashing of the power of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning in multiple industry sectors. The launch of ChatGPT in 2022 provided the first glimpse of the enormous potential to improve productivity, which is now spreading to multiple industry sectors. AI can help in the transition to net zero through, for example, finding more efficient uses of scarce resources, prediction and management of environmental impacts, optimisation of production processes, and policy ideas. In the field of telemedicine, AI can be used to speed up the research and development process for new drugs and treatments and enable remote patient monitoring, while AI chatbots can be deployed for risk profiling, consultation summarisation, predictive insights, and care recommendations, to name a few. While the potential benefits of AI are enormous, there are also risks which need to be addressed. These include concerns over data accuracy, data privacy, security, accountability, algorithmic bias, informed consent as well as disruptions to traditional industries and potential job losses. The 2023 ECCT EU-Taiwan Telecom Forum is the 7th edition of the forum since the first was held in 2009. The event is the largest and most prominent business forum for the telecom industry hosted by the ECCT that brings together telecom and technology industry experts, senior regulatory officials and executives from companies operating in all sectors of the telecom industry and supply chain, including all major telecom operators and equipment suppliers. As with previous forums, this year the ECCT has invited prominent regulatory officials from Taiwan and Europe to participate as speakers and panellists and senior industry executives and experts to attend as part of the audience. The purpose of the half day forum is for government and industry experts from Europe and Taiwan to share information on regulations and best practices, as well as discuss trends and business opportunities in the telecommunications and related fields. Panellists will engage in an interactive discussion on the main topics outlined above. Read more at: https://www.ecct.com.tw/event/ecct-premium-event-2023-eu-taiwan-telecom-forum/