Hong Kong Awards Six Broadband Licenses

HONG KONG (01/19/2000) - Hong Kong yesterday opened up its broadband Internet service market, issuing six licenses for carriers to offer high-speed data services in competition with incumbent Cable & Wireless HKT, the government announced in a statement.

In addition to a license granted to i-Cable Communications Ltd. for Internet service over its existing cable network, the government licensed five companies to provide services over fixed wireless networks. Such networks use wireless to bridge the last mile from the carrier switch to the customer's premises, thus bypassing the local network provider.

Also yesterday, the government licensed 12 carriers to offer external long-distance services over satellite, paving the way for much more aggressive competition in international telephony.

Together, the moves are expected to vastly expand the Internet services options available in Hong Kong, where fledgling Internet companies are attempting to gain a foothold in the exploding Asian Internet industry.

Officials of the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) said response to a May 1999 call for fixed wireless applications exceeded the agency's expectations. Moreover, because of applicants' hefty demands on scarce radio spectrum allocated to fixed-wireless bandwidth, OFTA had to narrow its choice to five. The finalists were chosen on the quality of their applications.

Fixed-wireless licenses were issued to PSINet Hong Kong Ltd., HKNet-Teligent Co. Ltd., Hong Kong Broadband Network Ltd., Eastar Technology Ltd., and SmarTone Mobile Communications Ltd.

The license for i-Cable Communications Ltd, the territory's incumbent pay-TV provider, was issued following a special application by the company, according to OFTA.

OFTA can be reached at +852-2961-6333 or on the Web at http://www.ofta.gov.hk.

More about: Cable & Wireless, Eastar Technology, HKNet, HKT, i-CABLE Communications, Office of the Telecommunications Authority, PSINet, SmarTone Mobile Communications, Teligent, Wireless HKT

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the Computerworld comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Whitepapers
All whitepapers
Sign up now to get free exclusive access to reports, research and invitation only events.
Featured Download
/downloads/product/138/driverscanner-2010/

DriverScanner 2010

DriverScanner scans your computer and provides you with a list of drivers that need to be updated. All you have to do, then, is simply ...

Computerworld newsletter

Join the most dedicated community for IT managers, leaders and professionals in Australia