HONG KONG-The Hong Kong Telecommunications Authority awarded five fixed-wireless licenses and 12 licenses for long-distance services via satellite, opening further telecommunications competition.
The five fixed-wireless license holders pledged a total of $360 million in the next three years. The licensees include PSINet Hong Kong Ltd., a subsidiary of U.S.-based Internet carrier PSINet Inc., and SmarTone Mobile Communications Ltd., a Hong Kong cellular provider. Broadband services will be launched in four to 16 months, the companies said.
The authority invited applications last May and said it received 14 proposals. Limited bandwidth kept the number of fixed-wireless licenses to five.
The satellite licenses, which allow the holders to offer international services via satellite, were allocated to all companies that met the required criteria.
The Telecommunications Authority also granted a license to Hong Kong Cable TV to provide fixed services over its hybrid fiber coaxial cable networks.
