1970s: Taiwan’s One Million Telephone Sets
The first achievement in the 1970s was the completion of a microwave system in eastern Taiwan, which contributed to the integrity of telecom networks all over Taiwan. In addition, several programs were launched to make landline phone services available to towns and villages. The deployment of submarine cables systems also connected Taiwan with other countries. The telecom infrastructure provided Taiwan with extensive reach within the country and with the outside world.
Despite the world energy crisis in the 1970s and the severance of diplomatic ties with the US, Taiwan’s telecom sector was making great leaps forward. With the fast-growing number of telephone subscribers, the six-digit phone number format for Taipei was increased to seven-digits on New Year’s Day, 1975. The number of subscriber telephone sets also reached one million in May 1975.