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Chapter 17

Communications, the Media and Information Technology

Hong Kong people are among the most informed in the world, due largely to the city's dynamic news media. At last count in 2008, there were close to 700 daily newspapers and periodicals published in Hong Kong. Some 27.8 per cent of the population were broadband service subscribers, the second highest penetration in Asia. Mobile phones, too, are ubiquitous with a population penetration rate of 162.3 per cent, also one of the world's highest. And, some one million households subscribe to Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services the highest penetration rate in the world

Excellent communications have been an essential element in Hong Kong's development as an international business and financial centre. The city has one of the most competitive telecommunications markets in the world, and its people are kept well informed by an efficient and vigorous media.

Hong Kong has a fully liberalised and highly competitive telecommunications market. A wide range of advanced and innovative telecommunications services are available at reasonable prices to consumers. Based on a study conducted by the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) in October 2008, compared with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) economies and Singapore, the take-up rates of fixed voice services, mobile services, broadband services and data services in Hong Kong are in the top tier. At the same time, telecommunications services in Hong Kong are among the least expensive. Prices for telecommunications services in Hong Kong are, across the board, significantly lower than those in most advanced economies.

Since the launch of third generation (3G) mobile services in 2004, the take-up rate has grown rapidly. By the end of the year, more than 2.81 million mobile phone users were enjoying 3G or 3.5G advanced services such as video calls, video streaming/downloading and interactive real-time gaming. New 3G services based on the CDMA2000 standard, one of the world's major 3G standards, were introduced in November in addition to the existing 3G mobile services based on the W-CDMA technology. The availability of CDMA2000 mobile services has strengthened Hong Kong's strategic position as a world city and the gateway to the Mainland. The Government will put up for auction in January 2009 the radio spectrum in the 2.3 GHz and 2.5/2.6 GHz band to provide fixed/mobile/converged services, based on