Winning 17 operators to invest $4.1b in next-generation networks

The Government has taken a key step forward in liberalising Hong Kong's telecommunications market with the naming of 17 successful licence applicants for fixed network services.

The operators have committed to invest at least $4.1 billion between them in the next three years as they seek to build networks capable of delivering next-generation services such as broadband Internet.

The new licences mark a milestone in the Government's campaign to open the market to competition and strengthen Hong Kong's position as a regional telecoms and broadcasting hub.

'[The new licensees] will enhance our telecommunications infrastructure by providing additional broadband services locally as well as increasing our external telecommunications capacity,' Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Kwong Ki-chi said.

'This will ensure that Hong Kong will have an excellent telecommunications platform for sustainable economic growth in the information age.' The Office of Telecommunications Authority (Ofta) will issue five licences for wireless local fixed-telecommunication network services (FTNS) and 12 for external FTNS using satellites.

In addition, it will issue an FTNS licence to Hong Kong Cable TV to provide telecoms services over its hybrid fibre-coaxial cable networks.