It's too expensive, says minister, despite concerns for safety in country parks
The government has declined to push for full mobile phone coverage across Hong Kong, saying it would put an 'unfair' cost burden on users.
The decision has sparked an accusation it is evading its obligations towards public safety.
'It would be costly to extend mobile network coverage to all country parks and remote rural areas,' Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology John Tsang Chun-wah said.
'And the costs would be transferred to mobile phone users, the majority of whom may not subscribe to mobile phone services in such areas. It would be unfair,' he told the Legislative Council.
He was speaking after a series of accidents involving hikers in country parks recently - including one disappearance and one death - brought calls for networks to be improved to cover more than 40 blind spots in remote areas.
Legislator Li Kwok-ying, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said he was disappointed.
