FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1992
PROPOSALS INVITED FOR LOCAL FIXED TELECOM NETWORKS
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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) MADE PUBLIC ITS THINKING ON HOW IT INTENDS TO GO ABOUT LICENSING NEW FIXED TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS TO COMPETE WITH THE HỒNG HÒNG TELEPHONE COMPANY (AKTC) IN THE PROVISION OF LOCAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.
IN A NOTICE GAZETTED TODAY, THE POSTMASTER GENERAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY, MR MICHELANGELO PAGLIARI, INVITED INTERESTED PARTIES TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO THE GOVERNMENT ΤΟ PROVIDE AND OPERATE ADDITIONAL LOCAL FIXED NETWORK SERVICES IN HONG KONG.
COMMENTING ON THE DEVELOPMENT, MR PAGLIARI SAID: **THIS MARKS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR POLICY то LIBERALISE FURTHER THE PROVISION OF LOCAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.
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"THE GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE THAT CONSUMERS CAN OBTAIN THE BEST POSSIBLE RANGE OF SERVICES AT THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICES. WE BELIEVE THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPETITION IN
FIXED NETWORK SERVICES WILL STIMULATE THE PROVISION OF NEW AND INNOVATIVE SERVICES AT LOWER COSTS," HE SAID.
THE GUIDANCE NOTE ON HOW PROPOSALS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY AT SINCERE BUILDING, FIFTH FLOOR, 173 DES VOEUX ROAD CENTRAL, HONG KONG.
REFERRING TO THE NOTE, MR PAGLIARI STRESSED THAT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET OUT WERE INTENDED TO BE INDICATIVE AND TO HELP APPLICANTS IN THE FORMULATION OF PROPOSALS.
A FORM OF LICENCE WILL BE DRAWN UP OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
"WE ARE ADOPTING A MARKET-DRIVEN APPROACH, WITH NO RESTRICTIONS FOREIGN OWNERSHIP. IN DECIDING ON HOW MANY NEW LICENCES TO GRANT WILL HAVE REGARD TO MARKET, TECHNICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS," MR PAGLIARI SAID.
ON WE
PUBLICATION OF THE GUIDANCE NOTE FOLLOWS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT LAST JUNE THAT THE HKTC FRANCHISE TO PROVIDE LOCAL VOICE TELEPHONE SERVICES WOULD NOT BE RENEWED IN 1995 BUT WOULD BE REPLACED BY A NON-EXCLUSIVE LICENCE, AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PREPARED TO LICENSE ONE OR MORE COMPETING LOCAL FIXED NETWORK SERVICE PROVIDERS.
SUBMISSIONS MAY CONTAIN PROPOSALS TO OFFER ANY LOCAL FIXED TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES, OTHER THAN THOSE WHICH ARE COVERED BY EXISTING EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE ARRANGEMENTS.
BEYOND JULY 1, 1995, LICENSEES ARE TO BE ALLOWED TO OFFER VOICE TELEPHONY SERVICES. LICENSEES WILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT DIRECTLY TO HONG KONG TELECOM INTERNATIONAL LTD'S INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY AND WILL RECEIVE A DELIVERY FEE OF ABOUT $1 PER MINUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC GENERATED BY OR DESTINED FOR THEIR NETWORKS.
PROPOSALS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY FEBRUARY 1, EXPECTED THAT LICENCES WILL BE ISSUED BEFORE MID-1993.
1993.
IT IS
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