XN000022-1995-03-30 — Page 12

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Call-back services

The Telecommunications Authority (TA), Mr Alexander Arena, released a Statement today (Thursday) concluding his study of the regulatory status of call-back services.

"Call-back services do not infringe HKTI's licence to provide exclusively certain external circuits and services," Mr Arena said.

Hong Kong Telecom International Ltd (HKTI) had requested that the TA gave a formal view on the regulatory status of the different types of call-back services, and in particular their consistency with the HKTI licence. HKTI contended that in its view the call-back services do infringe HKTI's exclusivity.

The TA has concluded that call-back operators are not providing an external public telephone service to subscribers to the public switched telephone network in violation of the HKTI licence. Rather call-back operators merely provide access to the external public telephone service provided by HKTI.

"I reject HKTI's assertion of breach of its licence and I conclude that call-back services may continue to be provided competitively," Mr Arena said.

Copies of the complete Statement may be obtained from Senior Administrative Officer (Legislation & Planning) Miss Eliza Yau on tel 2961 6602 or on fax 2803 5112

The complete Statement is also accessible on OFTA's electronic bulletin board on tel no. 2834 0119.

Note to Editors:

Following is the Statement by the Telecommunications Authority (TA), Mr Alexander Anthony Arena, on "The regulatory status of call-back services":

"Call-back services do not infringe HKTI's licence to provide exclusively certain external circuits and services."