New World sees shift in telecom system by 2000
New World Telephone (NWT) claims personal communication services (PCS) will be more popular than existing global system for mobile (GSM) technology in Hong Kong by 2000.
'I predict PCS will replace GSM as the leading light in the mobile phone network market,' commercial director Franky Lai Wing-hung said yesterday.
There is no difference in the technology used in PCS and GSM networks, but they operate on different frequencies.
Mr Lai was speaking the launch of a new PCS handset by NWT - the Sagem DC735 - which it says is the slimmest PCS model available in Hong Kong.
NWT also gave an update on the progress of the infrastructural development and technical advancement of its PCS 009 network.
The company said it had invested more than $800 million in making its PCS 009 Digital Connection - the first PCS network in the SAR to deploy a second mobile switch centre.
It said the centre, in use by next month, would ensure high network availability and stability to customers at all times.
'At present we have more than 300 operational cell sites, providing high-quality outdoor and indoor reception in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories and outlying islands,' NWT technical and business development director Albert Wong Chi-chiu said.
He hoped by the end of next year, NWT would have more than 600 cell sites in service.
