The great outdoors in Hong Kong will no longer be a haven from your mobile phone, with three new base stations expected to provide coverage to almost every corner of the city's country parks and hiking trails.
Francis Chan Wai-ming, Ofta's senior telecommunications engineer, said the telecoms authority would build another three base stations in remote areas to improve mobile-phone coverage in southwestern Lantau and northeast New Territories.
Mr Chan said the city's mobile service network already covered about 95 per cent of hiking trails. The new base stations would enhance coverage in the other 5 per cent.
However, blind spots and corners without coverage would still exist. 'There are still some hidden areas which will be really difficult to cover,' Mr Chan said.
'But this problem occurs not just on country trails but in urban areas. Usually if users move a few steps or on to higher ground, they will receive phone signals.'
The number of digital maps on Ofta's website outlining the quality of mobile-phone coverage on popular country hiking trails has risen from 99 in 2006 to 161 now.
Three colours on the maps indicate mobile-phone coverage.