Internet service battle set to heat up

Competition in the high-speed Internet service market is set to heat up, with City Telecom (HK) (CTI) chairman Ricky Wong vowing to adopt a low-price strategy if it is granted a wireless fixed telephone network licence.

Speaking during an information technology forum yesterday, he said: 'We can provide the service in one to two months, and it will be cheaper than current 56K dial-up services.' CTI is one of 14 applicants for wireless fixed telephone network licences.

The Government will announce the winners in about three weeks, Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Kwong Ki-chi said.

Allen Ma Kam-sing, chief executive of Cable & Wireless HKT's interactive media division, said HKT was pushing its broadband service in the market before the launch of competing services.

He said the company had more than 30,000 high-speed Internet customers, and had added almost 10,000 customers in the past month.

TELECOMS