Hong Kong (country regulation overview)
License Price: US$ 3,740.00
The Hong Kong telecoms market is advanced in terms of the maturity of its market liberalization, its technology sophistication, and its political and socio-economic ties with mainland China (particularly around the harmonization of technical standards and spectrum planning). Competition is highly developed, with multiple fixed and mobile networks. Hong Kong’s broadband penetration rate is among the highest in the world, and the country is also a world leader in the deployment of FTTH technologies. As of February 2010 its FTTH/FTTB household penetration rate was around 33%.
The regulator is still active in promoting competition. The regulator in Hong Kong, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA), held auctions of 2.6GHz spectrum in 2009, and the operators who were granted licenses plan to roll out LTE networks. On 19 October 2010, CSL announced that it had completed the construction of a dual-cell HSPA+/LTE network (2.6GHz LTE in selected heavy-traffic districts), and commercial services are now waiting for compatible devices. The date of launching commercial services has not yet been announced by CSL. The introduction of LTE-based services will promote competition in the mobile market and enable service providers to launch innovative mobile broadband services.
OFTA has also streamlined the public non-exclusive telecoms services (PNETS) and services-based operator (SBO) licensing regimes to promote fixed–mobile convergence. In addition, OFTA is reviewing its local access charge (LAC) regime.
The Hong Kong telecoms market is advanced in terms of the maturity of its market liberalization, its technology sophistication, and its political and socio-economic ties with mainland China (particularly around the harmonization of technical standards and spectrum planning). Competition is highly developed, with multiple fixed and mobile networks. Hong Kong’s broadband penetration rate is among the highest in the world, and the country is also a world leader in the deployment of FTTH technologies. As of February 2010 its FTTH/FTTB household penetration rate was around 33%.
The regulator is still active in promoting competition. The regulator in Hong Kong, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA), held auctions of 2.6GHz spectrum in 2009, and the operators who were granted licenses plan to roll out LTE networks. On 19 October 2010, CSL announced that it had completed the construction of a dual-cell HSPA+/LTE network (2.6GHz LTE in selected heavy-traffic districts), and commercial services are now waiting for compatible devices. The date of launching commercial services has not yet been announced by CSL. The introduction of LTE-based services will promote competition in the mobile market and enable service providers to launch innovative mobile broadband services.
OFTA has also streamlined the public non-exclusive telecoms services (PNETS) and services-based operator (SBO) licensing regimes to promote fixed–mobile convergence. In addition, OFTA is reviewing its local access charge (LAC) regime.
Overview
Ovum view
Fixed market overview
Broadband
Mobile market overview
National regulatory authority
Key legislation and regulation
Spectrum policy review
Mobile licensing
3G licenses
700MHz (698–806MHz) band
Broadband wireless access licenses
Further 1,800MHz auction
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs)
Unified carrier license (UCL)
Retail regulation
Overview
Wholesale fixed regulation
Narrowband voice interconnection
Deregulation for fixed–mobile convergence (FMC)
Services subject to regulation
Fixed–mobile number portability (FMNP)
Fixed termination charges
Review of local access charge
Wholesale access
Wholesale line rental
Wholesale broadband services
Local loop unbundling
IP telephony (VoIP)
Streamlining of the PNETS and SBO licensing regimes
IP television (IPTV)
Wholesale mobile regulation
Mobile regulation
Services subject to regulation
Mobile number portability
Mobile termination charges
Competition cases
No competition cases
Universal service
Universal service obligation
Universal service fund (USF)
Appendix
Methodology
Ovum view
Fixed market overview
Broadband
Mobile market overview
National regulatory authority
Key legislation and regulation
Spectrum policy review
Mobile licensing
3G licenses
700MHz (698–806MHz) band
Broadband wireless access licenses
Further 1,800MHz auction
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs)
Unified carrier license (UCL)
Retail regulation
Overview
Wholesale fixed regulation
Narrowband voice interconnection
Deregulation for fixed–mobile convergence (FMC)
Services subject to regulation
Fixed–mobile number portability (FMNP)
Fixed termination charges
Review of local access charge
Wholesale access
Wholesale line rental
Wholesale broadband services
Local loop unbundling
IP telephony (VoIP)
Streamlining of the PNETS and SBO licensing regimes
IP television (IPTV)
Wholesale mobile regulation
Mobile regulation
Services subject to regulation
Mobile number portability
Mobile termination charges
Competition cases
No competition cases
Universal service
Universal service obligation
Universal service fund (USF)
Appendix
Methodology
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Mobile services provided by mobile operators in 2010
Table 2: 3G licenses
Table 3: Results of the 2.6GHz auction in Hong Kong
Table 4: 1,800MHz band auction
Table 5: Fixed sector: services subject to regulation
Table 6: Mobile sector: services subject to regulation
Table 1: Mobile services provided by mobile operators in 2010
Table 2: 3G licenses
Table 3: Results of the 2.6GHz auction in Hong Kong
Table 4: 1,800MHz band auction
Table 5: Fixed sector: services subject to regulation
Table 6: Mobile sector: services subject to regulation
