The Regulatory Environment and the different networks for
Interactive TV services in Hong Kong
Introduction
Hong Kong, with its natural advantages of being a vertical city with dense population as
well as having an already very advanced digital telecom network, will probably beat the
rest of the world in the building of a city-wide "Information Infrastructure". In recent
years, the telecommunications infrastructure has been rapidly digitized to integrate voice,
data and video transmission and cable company has incorporated wideband local loop
capabilities in its cable network in preparation for interactive TV services. Together with
the issuing of subscription TV license on July 30, 1992, the kick-off of interactive TV
services opens a large consumer spending market for investors and at the same time,
introduces keen competition among companies. On the other hand, it offers consumers
more choices and thus greatly enriches people'’s entertainment life.
Background Information
Population :
- 6 million
Television Receivers :
- 1.7 million (1.6 million TV households); cable homes 1 million
Telephone Lines :
- 2.2 million are in service, of which residential links take up 1.5 million.
Hong Kong boasts a 52 percent penetration of telephone service in the
population.
Cable company :
- Wharf Cable Limited
Wireless company :
- Satellite Television Asian Region Ltd. (Star TV)
Telecommunication companies :
- Hongkong Telecom
- New World Telephone
- New T&T Limited
- Hutchison Limited
Broadcast TV stations :
- Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) and Asia Television
Limited (ATV)