TNAG-1363-FCO40-1809-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 174

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3.

In April this year, the Telephone Company

submitted an application to increase its tariffs by an

average of 10% in order to cover increased operating costs

and to enable it to maintain its high standard of service.

The application has been thoroughly examined and the items

in the Resolution now before Council are considered to be

justified.

4.

The major items include increased rentals for

leased circuits and private payphones and increased

connection and removal charges. The effect on ordinary

business and residential subscribers is modest: the monthly

cost of a single business telephone will be increased from

$64 to $71 and for a single residential telephone from $43

to $48. The charges for private Automatic Branch Exchange

extensions and internal extensions are to be reduced.

5.

The Resolution proposes for the new charges, the

first increase for over two and a half years, to take effect

from 1 October 1985. I am sure that the public will be

pleased to know that, based on current projections, there is

unlikely to be any requirement for further increases until

1988.

6.

Sir, I beg to move.