Hong Kong mobile network operators seek new spectrum release plan for 5G

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5G networks are expected to fully support advanced applications, such as virtual and augmented reality and autonomous driving. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

Published: 8:30pm, 10 Jan 2017Updated: 7:36am, 11 Jan 2017

Hong Kong could be left behind by other major economies in rolling out advanced 5G services without new mobile spectrum being made available to the city’s telecommunications network operators, according to key industry players.

Senior executives at HKT and SmarTone Telecommunications on Tuesday raised their concerns about the need for an updated mobile spectrum supply road map by the government in light of developments in other markets.

The Hong Kong government has decided not to release any new mobile spectrum to operators from this year to 2019. There was also no new spectrum made available in the past three years.

Its current plan is to auction off chunks of existing spectrum in the 900 megahertz and 1800MHz bands used by the city’s mobile operators, whose licenses for those resources will expire between November 2020 and September 2021, according to the Office of the Communications Authority (Ofca)

Henry Wong, the head of strategic wireless technology and core networks at HKT, told the South China Morning Post that the government’s “zero new spectrum” policy was unacceptable since regulators in other major economies have already made available fresh spectrum for 5G mobile services.

Henry Wong of HKT says other jurisdictions have already made available spectrum for 5G, a policy at odds with Hong Kong’s ‘zero new spectrum’. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

“New spectrum in the 3.5 gigahertz and 700MHz bands need to be released this year,” Wong said. “Hong Kong has been a leader in mobile services for the past 30 years, but further delays in releasing new spectrum for 5G could see the city seriously lagging behind.”