Telecom 'inventing excuses to lift fees'

Hongkong Telecom was accused yesterday of inventing excuses to increase fees by proposing to change the way it charges for phone calls.

About 2,400 people protested about the plan during a signature campaign on Tsing Yi Island.

Democratic Party legislator Lee Wing-tat, who organised the campaign, said the demolition of the flat-rate charge system would create public confusion.

'The telephone company undoubtedly wants to make use of the changes to pave the way for rising fees in the future,' he said.

Mr Lee urged the Government to investigate the costing of telephone services before approving Telecom plans that might see residential users paying 12 cents a call or six cents a minute on top of a $37 monthly fee.