2.3
in every exchange by early 1988. Digital lines will account for 50% of total capacity by 1990 and the replacement of all analogue equipment will result in a fully digitalized system by 1995.
Hong Kong has over 15.5 million metres (654 km of cable) of optical fibre installed in the network, principally for inter-exchange junction circuits. This compares with 10.6 million metres (515 km of cable) in Singapore.
HKT is to introduce a modern high speed common channel signalling system in the network progressively during 1988 and 1989. This will enhance the network and result in a wide range of new customer services for voice, data, text and image applications, in addition to providing faster connection of telephone calls. It will also facilitate the development of an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) which will enable a variety of services to be carried over the same telephone line.
Singapore is introducing a pilot ISDN service in 1988 and commercial wideband services by 1992. The service in Singapore will begin by providing point to point optical links with digital connections for private video conferencing, high speed (2 Mbits and 8 Mbits) data streams for computer communications, CAD/CAM database access and high speed facsimile and digital video transmission.
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
2.3.1 Network and equipment
The international network is provided and operated by Cable and Wireless (HK) Ltd under licence to the Government in conjunction with HKT. The Company has access to the local telephone network of HKT for connection of international calls. The interfaces between the CWHK's international transmission facilities and the local HKT customers are shown in Exhibit
2.7.
CWHK owns and operates five satellite earth station antennae located at the Earth Station in Stanley. Two operate to the Intelsat Indian Ocean satellites, one to the Pacific Ocean satellite, and one is currently being upgraded. The fifth earth station is used for reception of TV signals from the Pacific Ocean satellite. The situation is summarized below :
Date
installed
Earth Station
Intelsat Satellite
Remarks
1969
Hong Kong I Pacific Ocean Primary 174°E
recently
upgraded
1971
H K II
Indian Ocean Primary 63°E
1983
H K III
1983
H K IV
Indian Ocean Secondary 60°E
1987
H K V
Pacific Ocean Spare 180°E
under conversion until mid 88
TV reception only
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!