Foxconn wins license to build Taiwan 4G network
(Financial Times, Oct. 31, 2013) —Foxconn has won two of Taiwan’s newly issued licenses for building a 4G telecommunications network, as the group famous for making iPhones continues to diversify from its core contract manufacturing business.
富士康獲得了臺灣新頒發的兩張4G移動頻譜牌照。這家以製造iPhone著稱的集團正繼續推進多元化發展，在核心的代工製造業務以外拓展新業務。
Entering the telecom business is a highly unusual move for an electronics manufacturing company that brings risks, analysts say. The industry can be capital intensive and Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industries, has little background in building such networks.
分析師說，對一家電子產品製造企業而言，進軍電信業務是極不尋常的舉動，帶有種種風險。電信行業屬於資本密集型行業，而又名鴻海精密的富士康在電信網路建設方面沒什麼經驗。
The contract electronics manufacturer has thrived for years on high-volume but low-margin manufacturing work, but is struggling with the rising cost of labor in China.
憑藉出貨量高、但利潤率較低的製造活動，富士康迄今多年實現良好業績。但目前該公司正和中國大陸不斷上漲的勞工成本相互搏鬥中。
Foxconn has already taken some tentative steps beyond just making gadgets towards also selling them to consumers. It had operated a retail chain in China together with Germany’s Metro, although that venture ultimately closed. More recently in Taiwan it has been selling its own TVs through a partnership with 7-11, a convenience store chain that is ubiquitous on the island. It is developing software with an office in southern Taiwan working on cloud computing.
富士康已經在向消費者售賣產品方面採取了一些嘗試性措施，以突破只造不賣的侷限。它曾與德國的馬特拉公司在中國合作經營零售連鎖店，儘管該連鎖店最終關閉。最近，富士康在臺灣開始與遍佈全臺灣的連鎖便利店7-11合作，售賣自己生產的電視機。富士康還在臺灣南部的雲計算研發中心開發軟體。
Foxconn will “fully develop” the 4G network as part of its work with different ways to apply technology in daily life, Lu Fang-ming, group vice-president, said.
集團副總裁呂芳銘說，富士康將「全面開發」4G行動網路，這是該公司致力於將科技應用於日常生活的多種方式的其中之一。
Foxconn paid NT $9.2 billion ($313 million) for two licenses.
富士康為兩張4G行動網路頻率執照支付了92億新臺幣（折合3.13億美元）。
Industry observers said it was possible the group could work with a more experienced operator in developing the network.
行業觀察人士表示，富士康有可能與一家在開發4G網路方面更有經驗的運營商合作。
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