Close Communications with the Industry and the Community

In Touch with the World

OFTA participates actively in the global telecommunications arena. We keep in close touch with international organisations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), while also participating in conferences and forums around the world. We maintain close links with the international community, exchanging views and sharing our experiences in the regulation of telecommunications services.

In 2006/2007, we attended, participated or provided support in almost 30 regional and international conferences including:

• ITU Expert Workshop on Regulatory Environment for Future Mobile Multimedia Service
• ITU NGN Workshop
• ITU-R Working Party 6E on Terrestrial Delivery
• ITU-R Study Group 6 Broadcasting Service
• ITU Internet Development and On-line Environment
• ITU-R WP1B on Spectrum Management Methodologies and Economic Strategies and Working Party 1C on Spectrum Monitoring
• ITU Centre of Excellence Stakeholders Meeting
• ITU Executive-Level Training for Regulators and Policy-makers
• ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006
• ITU Workshop on Market Mechanisms for Spectrum Management
• ITU NGN Global Standard Initiative
• ITU Global Symposium for Regulators
• ITU Conference Preparatory Meeting for World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07)
• 33rd and 34th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Telecommunications and Information Working Group Meeting
• 30th Session of the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Management Committee
• APT Standardization Program Expert Group Meeting
• 11th and 12th APT Standardization Program Forums APT Asia Pacific Forum on Telecommunications Policy and Regulation 2006
• 3rd APT Preparatory Meeting for ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2006
• APT Operators Forum
• APT Investment Dialogue
• APT Regulator – Industry Dialogue
• APT Symposium on Network Security
• APT Standards Equivalence Workshop
• APT Workshop on Multilateral and Bilateral Telecommunications Trade Negotiations
• APT Meeting on Broadband Wireless/Broadcasting and its Application
• 3rd Meeting of the APT Wireless Forum
• 4th APT Conference Preparatory Group Meeting for WRC-07
• APT-ITU Workshop on NGN Planning

ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006

The ITU TELECOM WORLD Conference and Exhibition, often described as the "Olympics of the telecommunications industry" and seen as the premier event of its kind in the world, was held from 4 to 8 December 2006 at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong. This is the first time that this mega event has ever been held outside ITU's home base in Geneva.

A Hong Kong, China Secretariat (HKCS) for the event was set up within CITB to assist the ITU in marketing the event globally, organising official and social functions and providing a wide range of protocol services, hospitality and support programmes for event participants. Assisting in these operations, OFTA provided both manpower and technical support to the Secretariat.

OFTA also co-organised the Hong Kong, China Pavilion with the HKCS and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. The Pavilion provided a platform for both Hong Kong's activities and international exchanges, enhancing overseas understanding of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) market in Mainland China. It also created networking opportunities for industry members from Mainland China, Hong Kong and overseas and facilitated the sharing of experience and knowledge. During the event week, seminars and meetings covering a wide range of topics related to ICT development in Mainland China were held at the Pavilion. A first-ever ‘China Day' event, held at the ITU TELECOM WORLD, provided the climax to the series of activities which took place at the Pavilion.

In conjunction with the world-class exhibition on ICT, a high-level forum was held at ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006 to explore emerging policies, trends and technologies under the theme "Living the Digital World". The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Mr Wu Bangguo; the Founder of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2006, Prof Muhammad Yunus; the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Donald Tsang; and the Secretary-General of the ITU, Mr Yoshio Utsumi officiated at the opening ceremony. Some 695 exhibitors from 37 countries took part in this mega event and it was visited by more than 62,000 ICT industry members from 141 countries, including 608 ministers and CEOs. The direct economic benefit generated by this event for Hong Kong is estimated to be in the region of HK$900 million.

Executive-Level Training for Regulators and Policy-Makers

The "Executive-Level Training for Regulators and Policy-Makers" workshop, co-organised by the ITU and Information for Development Program, was held in Hong Kong on 2 and 3 December 2006. OFTA assisted in the pre-event logistics arrangements for the workshop.

Participating in this event, Mr M H Au, Director-General, gave an opening speech to about 100 workshop attendants, consisting of senior executives from telecommunications regulatory agencies from around the world. Mr T Y Chan, Assistant Director (Regulatory Affairs), also joined other regulators at a panel discussion to share his views and experiences on the regulation of interconnection for the new technologies.

Our Partnerships around the World

We maintain strong ties with our counterparts around the world, working in partnership and sharing knowledge and experience with neighbouring territories as well as telecommunications administrations overseas. In 2006/07, we welcomed more than 20 visiting delegations. These included visits from the Botswana Telecommunications Authority, the Australian Communications and Media Authority and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. Discussions and exchanges were both insightful and fruitful.

In March 2007, we made arrangements for a visit for a delegation from the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications of Malaysia, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and top executives of the Malaysian telecommunications sector. In addition to briefings and discussions on the development of Hong Kong's telecommunications market and other regulatory issues, the programme also covered visits to the various operators.

Riding on the ITU TELECOM WORLD event in December 2006, we arranged various bi-lateral meetings with visiting regulators and our telecommunication counterparts from around the world. These meetings provided an ideal opportunity to share information while paving the way for further exchanges into the future.

CEPA and WTO Initiatives

In September 2003, the telecommunications services sector was included in the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). "Hong Kong Service Suppliers" (HKSS) fulfilling various prescribed requirements enjoy preferential treatment in respect of five value-added telecommunications services in Mainland China. OFTA supports the Trade and Industry Department in the processing of telecommunications operator applications for HKSS certification. CEPA, an open and developing platform, provides an ongoing mechanism for further discussion with the Mainland authorities on more co-operative and market access opportunities. The Government thus maintains close contacts with the industry, seeking further co-operation and market access opportunities under CEPA.

We also provide technical advice and support to the Trade and Industry Department in respect of Hong Kong's participation in World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations on telecommunications services.

Sharing Insights with the Industry

Two major industry seminars were held in 2006/07. With the emergence of Fixed-Mobile Convergence in the telecommunications industry, we appointed an independent consultant to review the regulatory framework in 2006. A seminar on the Consultancy Report "Review of the Regulatory Framework for Fixed-Mobile Convergence in Hong Kong" was subsequently held in May 2006 to exchange views among industry members, the consultant and OFTA.

In March 2007, we organised a 4-day seminar on competition law for the industry. At our invitation, Professor Richard Whish of King's College, the University of London and non-executive director of the Office of Fair Trading in the United Kingdom, presented a series of talks covering basic principles as well as the latest developments in competition law in Hong Kong and Europe. The professor attracted keen interest and a large audience from the local industry.

Communicating with the Local Community

We take an active role in keeping the public informed of our activities. In the year under review, we organised five media briefings and issued 37 press releases on subjects related to major OFTA initiatives, events and important decisions from the TA.

Articles by our Director-General detailing OFTA's policies and views on various telecommunications issues were published in major local newspapers. At the same time, speeches and presentations made by senior OFTA staff at public seminars and industry conferences were also published on our web site, keeping the public informed and helping to spread our message to stakeholders and the industry.

Working with our Advisory Committees

We work closely with a number of advisory committees to ensure our efficient and effective operations. These committees, consisting of members of the public, industry professionals and representatives of other Government departments, give us specialist advice and a broader view of the industry while also representing the interests of the community. In place since 1994, they include the:

• Radio Spectrum Advisory Committee
• Telecommunications Numbering Advisory Committee
• Telecommunications Standards Advisory Committee
• Telecommunications Users and Consumers Advisory Committee

Additionally, they provide a structured and formal channel of communications for interested and relevant parties to offer advice to the TA. Ensuring total transparency, the minutes and discussion papers from all committee meetings are posted on our web site for public information.