’WHITE BOX’: The open platform would give local firms access to Cisco’s cloud-based mobile network to develop 5G telecom equipment and tap into the global market

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 08, 2020
By:: Angelica Oung / Staff reporter

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) yesterday introduced a new 5G “open lab” in collaboration with US-based information technology and networking giant Cisco Systems Inc to address the rapidly growing “white box” 5G networking equipment market.

The open lab will be a platform where Taiwanese manufacturers can access Cisco’s cloud-based mobile network to develop their own 5G telecom equipment, such as small-cell base stations, network switches, modems and Internet of things (IoT) devices, a ministry statement said.

The open platform would allow Taiwanese manufacturers to tap into the lucrative 5G telecom equipment market, which was previously monopolized by Nokia Oyj, Ericsson AB and Huawei Technologies Co (華為), Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said at the inauguration in Taoyuan.

“In the 3G and 4G world, telecommunication technology was tied to the manufacturer. It was a closed system,” Wang said. “But with 5G, we have the opportunity to create our own innovative products”    [FULL  STORY]