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Home > Communications > Telecommunications > General Telecom
Hong Kong Telecommunications Report Q3 2009
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Our latest update on Hong Kong’s telecommunications market contains expanded coverage of thecountry’s fixed-line and broadband sectors. We have also included a summary table depicting some of thesector’s recent contract wins. Measured as a proportion of buildings reached with broadband networkinfrastructure, Hong Kong’s broadband penetration rate was estimated at around 95% coverage. With ahigh number of Hong Kong residents already possessing access to fixed broadband services, it appearsthat a slowdown in broadband subscriber growth is now underway; the latest regulatory data show thatthe number of broadband subscribers grew by just 3.6% in 2008 to reach 1.948mn. This growth ratecontrasts sharply with the 7.8% growth rate recorded in 2007.
Going forward, BMI predicts an annual average growth rate of 2.5% over the next five years. By the endof 2013, we now predict that the market will comprise almost 2.2mn broadband connections and apenetration rate of over 30%. Demand for fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) services in particular is expected togrow. Demand for such services will be driven by services such as high definition TV (HDTV) andenhanced multimedia applications.
Recent developments in Hong Kong’s telecoms market include the award of broadband wireless accesslicences in January 2009. It was originally thought that some operators would use the new licences tolaunch WiMAX broadband services. However, it looks likely that the spectrum will be used to launch 4Gwireless networks instead. With a household penetration rate which is already high, and with HongKong’s extensive Wi-Fi and HSPA network coverage, it is thought that the business case for launchingWiMAX services in Hong Kong is particularly weak.
Other recent developments include the April 2009 ruling by Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal, whichunanimously backed the territory’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in blocking the proposedbuyout of PCCW Group by its chairman Richard Li and fellow shareholder China Unicom. The SFCsought to block the buyout after claims that some minority shareholders were improperly influenced tovote in favour of the deal in February 2009. The Court of Appeal’s ruling overturned a decision of theHigh Court on April 6, which had given the go-ahead for the transaction on the basis that ‘share splitting’was legal. At the time of writing, Richard Li had announced plans to contest the Appeal Court’s ruling.
Once again, Hong Kong has maintained its position in third place in BMI’s latest set of businessenvironment ratings for the Asia Pacific region. Despite a falling telecoms market score, Hong Kongcontinues to score above average in all of the categories surveyed in BMI’s business ratings for the AsiaPacific telecoms markets.
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