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(EDI), value added facsimile transmission (for example, text-facsimile conversion), second generation cordless telephone (Telepoint), digital public mobile radio telephone and videotext services. By December 1992, 46 PNETS licences and 10 PRS licences were in force.
Special arrangements have been agreed between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and Australia to facilitate the use of international private leased circuits (IPLCs) for value added data and facsimile services. Under these arrangements operators of international value-added network services (IVANS) may use IPLCs to carry third party traffic at normal flat-rate tariffs.
A Hong Kong registered company, Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited, operates a regional telecommunications satellite, AsiaSat-1. Following its successful launch in April 1990, AsiaSat-1 now offers telecommunications services to the region, from the Middle East to Japan.
Public mobile radio telephone services (PMRS) continue to expand. During the year the number of subscribers increased from 189 500 to 233 500, one of the highest per capita figures in the world. To cater for future growth in demand and to promote competition in this market, the Telecommunications Authority approved in July a new operator to operate digital PMRS using the GSM standard. In addition, approval has been given to the three existing operators to digitise their existing analogue systems increasing both quality and capacity. One digital system, employing the USDC standard, started service in October 1992.
Another very popular service in Hong Kong is the public radio paging service. By December 1992, 1 042 000 pagers had been licensed. On a per capita basis, Hong Kong has one of the highest penetrations in the world for radio paging services (approximately one in 5.6). The pagers in use are mainly tone, numeric and alphanumeric pagers. Paging services conveying messages in Chinese characters are gaining in popularity. In 1991, a licence was awarded to a consortium to operate an international radio paging service using the 931MHz frequency band. The service will be launched in 1993.
During the year, two of the four licensed Telepoint service operators launched their second generation cordless telephone (CT2) services. The third operator is expected to launch the service in 1993. By December 1992, there were 7900 public base stations installed throughout Hong Kong and 37 300 subscribers.
The Postmaster General, appointed by the Governor as the Telecommunications Authority, administers the Telecommunication Ordinance and the Telephone Ordinance, which govern the establishment and operation of all telecommunications services. The Postmaster General acts as an adviser to the government on matters concerning the development of public telecommunications services, and is a member of the Broadcasting Authority.
The Telecommunications Branch of the Post Office supports the Telecommunications Authority in the execution of his functions. One of the most important functions carried out by the branch is the management of the radio spectrum to ensure that it is utilised efficiently. It also co-ordinates the use of the radio spectrum with the administrations of adjacent territories to minimise radio interference. In May 1992, the Telecommuni- cations Authority signed a frequency co-ordination agreement with the Telecommunica- tions Administration in Guangdong. This agreement provides for compatible technical standards and procedures for the co-ordination of frequencies in the two territories.