XN000022-1991-11-27 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1991

MOTION TO ADD CHARGES TO NEW TELEPHONE SERVICES PASSED

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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT IT APPROVED TO AMEND THE SCHEDULE TO THE TELEPHONE ORDINANCE BY ADDING TO IT CHARGES THAT THE HONG KONG TELEPHONE COMPANY LIMITED PROPOSES TO LEVY ON TWO NEW SERVICES.

THE SERVICES WERE THE DUPLEX RINGING FEATURE AND DAYTIME MANAGER ALTERATION.

MOVING A MOTION TO AMEND THE SCHEDULE, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN SAID: "I HAVE EXAMINED THE PROPOSED CHARGES, AND CONSIDER THEM TO BE A REASONABLE REFLECTION OF THE COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICES.

SHE SAID THE DUPLEX RINGING FEATURE WOULD PROVIDE TWO DIRECTORY NUMBERS WITH DIFFERENT RINGING TONES ON ONE TELEPHONE LINE.

THAT WOULD ALLOW SUBSCRIBERS TO USE A SINGLE LINE FOR A TELEPHONE AND A FACSIMILE MACHINE WITH SEPARATE NUMBERS, MRS CHAN NOTED.

ALTERNATIVELY, THE DIFFERENT RINGING TONES FOR THE DIFFERENT NUMBERS COULD BE USED TO DISTINGUISH DOMESTIC FROM BUSINESS CALLS, OR CALLS TO DIFFERENT USERS OF THE SAME TELEPHONE, SHE ADDED.

THE TELEPHONE COMPANY PROPOSED TO CHARGE AN EXTRA $216 ANNUALLY PER LINE FOR THIS OPTIONAL FEATURE AND IT WORKED OUT AT AN EXTRA $18 PRR MONTH.

MEANWHILE, MRS CHAN SAID THE TELEPHONE COMPANY CURRENTLY RUNS

A SERVICE CALLED INTERNATIONAL TOLL-FREE SERVICE.

THIS SERVICE ALLOWED PEOPLE OUTSIDE HONG KONG TO CALL LOCAL SUBSCRIBERS FREE OF CHARGE ON INTERNATIONAL TOLL-FREE NUMBERS IN RESPONSE, FOR EXAMPLE, TO A BUSINESS PROMOTION.

THE CALL CHARGES WERE PAID FOR BY THE LOCAL SUBSCRIBERS.

AS PART OF THE SERVICE, MRS CHAN NOTED, THE COMPANY PROVIDED,

FREE OF CHARGE, A "DAYTIME MANAGER" SERVICE.

THIS ENABLED LOCAL SUBSCRIBERS TO ROUTE INCOMING TOLL-FREE CALLS TO DIFFERENT TELEPHONES AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY.

MRS CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THE COMPANY NOW WISHED TO PROVIDE FOR ALTERATIONS ΤΟ THE ORIGINAL CALL ROUTEING AT A COST OF $90 PER ALTERATION.

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