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Media and Communications
to the Broadcasting Ordinance, Telecommunications Ordinance, Communications Authority Ordinance, Broadcasting (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, Trade Descriptions Ordinance and Competition Ordinance. It also enforces the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance.
The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA), the CA's executive arm and secretariat, helps the CA administer and enforce these ordinances.
Telecommunications
The government aims to facilitate the development of the telecommunications industry and enhance Hong Kong's position as the region's telecommunications hub. The long-standing pro- competition policy and pro-market approach has encouraged an abundant supply of quality and state-of-the-art services for consumers and businesses at competitive prices.
Mobile Communications
Four mobile network operators provide second-generation (2G), third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) services. The city had 18.34 million mobile subscribers as at December, representing a population penetration rate of 248 per cent, one of the world's highest. Among them, 16.89 million were users of 3G or 4G services. Mobile data usage reached 30,467 terabytes, a 30 per cent rise over December 2016. On average, each resident used 4,112 megabytes per month in 2017. Mobile data services are available at downlink speeds of up to 800 Mbps. The World Economic Forum's Global Information Technology Report 2016 ranked Hong Kong first among 139 economies in mobile phone penetration rate and mobile network coverage.
Fixed Communications
There is no preset limit on the number of licences that can be issued for fixed communications services, nor any deadline for the submission of applications. As at end-2017, there were 27 local fixed telephone network licensees, providing 92 fixed-line or internet phone services per 100 households, one of the highest penetration rates in the world. It is the government's policy to promote facility-based competition in the local fixed services market. As a result, 88 per cent and 79 per cent of households could choose between at least two and three self-built local fixed customer access networks respectively as at March.
Fixed Broadband
Hong Kong has one of the world's most advanced fixed broadband network infrastructures and a high household fixed broadband penetration rate of 92.8 per cent. According to internet content delivery provider Akamai's State of the Internet 1st Quarter, 2017 Report, Hong Kong has the world's fourth fastest broadband, with an average peak connection speed of 129.5 Mbps.
The city is ranked fifth globally in deploying an optical fibre access network, according to the Fibre to the Home Council Europe's report in February 2018.
Charges for fixed broadband services are very competitive. At a monthly rate of as low as about $138, or US$18, users may access broadband internet service at speeds of up to 1 Gbps. The city is also at the forefront in providing public Wi-Fi service, with more than 49,000 Wi-Fi hot spots by end-December.
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