Vee TIME will invest more than NT$1 billion (US$32.1 million) to expand its WiMAX network by adding 800 base stations, according to the company.

Vee started operation in the Taichung metropolitan area, central Taiwan, with a network of nearly 300 base stations in April 2010, with the network to be expanded to 350 base stations at the end of 2010, the company noted.

In addition, Vee will set up a new network of 600 base stations in a large rural area, also in central Taiwan, as its second-step operation, the company indicated. Vee will select suppliers of equipment from Samsung Electronics, Motorola and Huawei Technologies in November-December 2010 and then complete the network to begin operations at the end of June 2011, the company pointed out.

With about 10,000 WiMAX subscribers currently, Vee estimates that its operation can break even when the number increases to 50,000-100,000.