Taiwan's largest operator, Chunghwa Telecom Co. Ltd. (NYSE: CHT), is testing the frequency division duplex (FDD) flavor of Long Term Evolution (LTE) in a trial network using equipment from Nokia Networks . (See Taiwan Takes a Giant Leap Toward LTE.)

Today's news from Chunghwa and Nokia Siemens follows a flurry of LTE announcements from Taiwan last week, which has made the Asia/Pacific country a veritable hotbed for development of the proto-4G mobile broadband technology.

Nokia Siemens announced last week that it is building a TD-LTE network (the time division duplex version of LTE) in the country with National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) for a trial that will start in May. China Mobile Communications Corp. is also contributing to this TD-LTE trial by supplying operational experience and application support. According to Chung-Yu Wu, the president of NCTU, the university will use this research to help Taiwanese companies develop LTE devices.

In addition, China Mobile reportedly has other TD-LTE activities going on in Taiwan. The Chinese operator struck a memorandum of understanding deal with Taiwan's third-largest operator, Far EasTone Telecommunications Co. Ltd. , to set up a TD-LTE trial network in the country, according to a report in the Taipei Times. (See China Mobile Enters Taiwan and Taiwan Tastes China's 3G Flavor.)

For the Chungwha trial, Nokia Siemens says it will supply LTE core network equipment and base stations.

Chungwha reportedly has a goal to roll out LTE in 2011. (See Taiwan Takes to LTE and Chunghwa Rides High in Taiwan.)

— Michelle Donegan, European Editor, Light Reading Mobile