Press Release
OFTA Updated the List of Buildings Connected by at least
Two Self-built Customer Access Networks
The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA)
today (31 March 2005) published the updated list of
the buildings that are connected by at least two self-built
customer access networks of local fixed telecommunications
network services (FTNS) operators. It is the first time
for buildings accessed by the self-built customer access
network of Hong Kong Cable Television Limited (HKCTV)
to be included in the building list.
"We are pleased to see that, after the announcement
of the new Type II interconnection policy in July 2004,
the fixed network operators are actively rolling out
their self-built customer access networks to provide
choices and services to the end customers. In addition
to PCCW-HKT Telephone Limited, the five fixed-line operators,
including Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited (HKBN),
Hong Kong Cable Television Limited (HKCTV), Hutchison
Global Communications Limited (HGC), New World Telecommunications
Limited (NWT) and Wharf T&T Limited (WT&T),
have together achieved a household coverage of 69%,
compared to the figure of 60% published in September
2004.
"Out of this 69% of coverage, 41% of the households
(a total of 2,405 residential buildings) have a choice
of at least three customer access networks and 28% of
the households (a total of 4,025 residential buildings)
have a choice of two customer access networks,"
the spokesperson of OFTA said.
With the launch of broadband IP conveyance service
as well as voice-over-IP conveyance service by HKCTV
in October 2004, OFTA is satisfied that part of HKCTV's
self-built customer access network can provide both
voice and broadband services, and is also able to meet
the open platform criterion. OFTA also confirms that
part of HKCTV's self-built customer access network could
meet the transmission capacity criterion.
"Having met all three objective criteria to qualify
as an alternative customer access network, part of HKCTV's
network is included in the building list for the first
time," the spokesperson of OFTA explained.
Mandatory Type II interconnection will be withdrawn
in the buildings included in the building list after
a two-year transitional period and a one-year "grandfather"
period, starting from the published date of the buildings.
The building list was first published on 24 September
2004 and is to be updated on a half-yearly basis to
cover buildings that are newly connected by alternative
self-built customer access networks. Next round of update
will be published in September 2005.
The latest building list can be downloaded from OFTA's
website at: www.ofta.gov.hk.
Background
Type II interconnection is interconnection of the network
of a fixed telecommunications operator to the network
of another fixed telecommunications operator at the
customer access level, which runs from local telephone
exchanges of the network to customers' premises.
The Government announced on 6 July 2004 that Type II
interconnection at telephone exchange level will be
withdrawn to promote investment and consumer choice
in high bandwidth customer access networks. The withdrawal
will be fully implemented across the territory by 30
June 2008, except for buildings meeting the "essential
facilities" criterion. In the run-up to this date,
the withdrawal will be implemented in an orderly manner
on a building-by-building basis and will apply to buildings
already connected to at least two self-built customer
access networks.
Office of the Telecommunications Authority
31 March 2005
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