ENG-2009 — Page 424

352 | Communications, the Media and Information Technology

In addition, after conducting a comprehensive market survey and public consultation in 2008, the TA has decided to allow telecommunications operators to provide fixed-mobile number portability (FMNP), which allows cross-platform number portability between mobile and fixed services, on a voluntary basis. The introduction. of the FMNP service will provide a level playing field for mobile and fixed operators, promote cross-platform competition, and meet consumer demand. The service is also conducive to the more efficient use of telephone numbers.

External Telecommunications Facilities and Services

The external telecommunications facilities market was fully liberalised in 2000. By December 2009, in addition to seven licensees providing both local and external telecommunications facilities, there were 29 licensees providing cable-based external telecommunications facilities and another five providing non-cable based external telecommunications facilities. As a major telecommunications and internet hub, Hong Kong has six submarine cable landing stations and is connected to nine regional and trans-Pacific submarine cable systems as well as the land cable networks of all three telecommunications operators of the Mainland. The total equipped capacity of external telecommunications facilities was over 3 964 Gbps in December 2009. Cost reduction in the external telecommunications facilities and services markets due to competition and technological advancement has led to a significant drop in the price of International Direct Dialling (IDD) calls as well as international private lease circuits.

Satellite Communications

Two Hong Kong companies, APT Satellite Company Limited and Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited, hold licences to operate and provide satellite communication services. At year-end, the two satellite companies were operating nine satellites.

Combating Unsolicited Electronic Messages

To tackle the problem of unsolicited electronic messages (UEMS), the UEM Ordinance was implemented in December 2007 to regulate the sending of commercial electronic messages (CEMs), including fax, pre-recorded voice calls, short messages and emails. Under the UEM Ordinance, senders of CEMs are required to comply with specific sending

sending rules,

rules, including provision of accurate sender information and an unsubscribe facility in the message. Moreover, under the UEM Ordinance, three do-not-call registers (for fax, short message and pre-recorded telephone message respectively) have been established. Senders are prohibited from sending CEMs to the numbers registered therein, unless consent from the registered user of the number has been obtained. By December 31, 2009, there were more than 1.94 million registrations in the three do-not-call registers with some 558 000 numbers for fax, 474 000 for short message and 905 000 for pre-recorded message.

If a sender is found to have contravened any prescribed rules, the TA may issue an Enforcement Notice. Failure to comply with the Enforcement Notice is an offence. By December 31, 2009, the TA had received over 14 800 reports of suspected contraventions and had issued 150 warning letters to senders. One Enforcement