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FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 1986
+A SECOND TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY IS THE SWITCHED-STAR NETWORK WHICH CAN CARRY BROADBAND SERVICES SUCH AS VIDEO-PHONE AND TWO WAY INTERACTIVE SERVICES SUCH AS TELEBANKING AND HOME SHOPPING, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT A TREE AND BRANCH NETWORK WAS WIDELY USED, ITS PERFORMANCE WELL DOCUMENTED, AND IT WAS MUCH CHEAPER THAN A SWITCHED-STAR NETWORK BUT, UNLIKE THE LATTER, COULD ONLY PROVIDE LIMITED INTERACTIVE SERVICES, NOT BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES.
+ THE GOVERNMENT STILL HAS AN OPEN MIND ON WHICH TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE ADOPTED IN HONG KONG AND HOPES TO SEE PROPOSALS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES ON THE TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES THEY ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE, MR HSU SAID.
ON ADVERTISING, MR HSU SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSIDERING WHETHER A LIMITED AMOUNT SHOULD BE ALLOWED ON CABLE TV.
+AS AN OVERRIDING PRINCIPLE, THE ADMINISTRATION DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE INTRODUCTION OF CABLE TV HARMING THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF THE EXISTING OFF-AIR BROADCASTING LICENSEES,+ HE SAID,
+OFF-AIR BROADCASTING LICENSEES PROVIDE FREE ENTERTAINMENT TO A BROAD SPECTRUM OF THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE LOWER INCOME GROUPS, AND THE GOVERNMENT DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS REDUCED AS A RESULT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF CABLE TV.+
MR HSU SAID THE IMPACT OF CABLE TV ON THE VIEWING PUBLIC COULD BE AS SIGNIFICANT AS PROGRAMMES BROADCAST BY THE TWO EXISTING TV STATIONS.
+THE CURRENT THINKING OF THE GOVERNMENT IS THAT, AS A BROAD PRINCIPLE, CABLE TV PROGRAMMES SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO SIMILAR CONTROL AND SUPERVISION AS PROGRAMMES BROADCAST BY THE TWO TV LICENSEES, + HE ADDED.
MR HSU NOTED THAT FOLLOWING THE RECENT APPROVAL THAT CABLE TELEVISION SHOULD, IN PRINCIPLE, BE INTRODUCED IN HONG KONG, A FEW COMPANIES, INCLUDING THE HONG KONG TELEPHONE COMPANY AND A CONSORTIUM COMPRISING HUTCHISON WHAMPOA, HONG KONG ELECTRIC AND AN OVERSEAS COMPANY HAVE INDICATED THEIR INTERESTS IN SUCH A SCHEME.
+ WE HOPE THAT PROPOSALS SUBMITTED BY INTERESTED PARTIES IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS WILL PROVIDE BETTER INDICATIONS TO WHAT INVESTORS ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE, AND ANY PILOT SCHEMES CONDUCTED IN THE COMING YEAR WILL ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO GAUGE THE RESPONSE OF THE COMMUNITY TO CABLE TV SERVICES,+ HE SAID.
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