TAIPEI (WiMAX DAY). Last week several sources reported that Chunghwa Telecom is planning to invest in Global Mobile Corp, and may acquire 10% of the WiMAX network operator. In the bid for WiMAX licenses earlier this year, Chunghwa Telecom was not awarded a license, while start-up Global Mobile grabbed a license in the North of Taiwan.

Chunghwa Telecom is the leading telecoms provider in Taiwan, and a combination with Global Mobile, which lacks any infrastructure for a WiMAX build-out, could be profitable for both parties.

Global Mobile also has been on the fund-raising trail for several months. Current shareholders, in addition to founder and chief executive Rosemary Ho, include Com2B Corp and DAVICOM Semiconductor. Xinhua Finance News reported last week that Com2B Corp is owned by Far Eastern Group, which also owns mobile operator Far EasTone Telecommunications, which was awarded a WiMAX license in the south of Taiwan. Far Eastern Group reportedly acquired five percent of Global Mobile for TWD 60 million (US$1.8 million).

Share of Chunghwa Telecom were up TWD 0.70 last week on rumours of the investment. A spokesman for Chunghwa Telecom had no comment on the matter.