HKT launches new Guangdong service

Hongkong Telecom has launched a calling-card service which allows customers to make calls from Guangdong province to anywhere in the mainland and a range of overseas destinations. Calls will be billed in Hong Kong dollars and charges based on domestic and international long-distance call rates on the mainland plus a flat service fee of HK$9. The cards can be used with any tone-dialling phone in Guangdong, meaning customers will be able to avoid expensive hotel surcharges or worrying about mobile batteries running out and network servicing problems, Telecom said.

Australia's Telstra is to build a national, digital mobile telephone network using CDMA technology. The network will be launched in the five largest cities in the middle of next year, with regional centres to follow. Nortel Networks has been chosen to build the network under a contract worth A$300 million (about HK$1.46 billion). Telstra's CDMA network will complement its existing digital telephone business which boasts 1.75 million customers.