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The Telecommunication (Mobile Earth Stations) (Exemption) Order was gazetted today (Friday) to grant exemption from licensing requirements under the Telecommunication Ordinance for the possession, establishment, maintenance, use, import and export of mobile earth stations of mobile satellite services.

A spokesman for the Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau said, "Mobile satellite services are radiocommunication services provided between a mobile earth station and another such station, or between a mobile earth station and a terrestrial public switched telephone network, by means of communications satellites.

"A mobile earth station can be a hand-held, low-power portable device similar to a cellular telephone, or a larger terminal which is transportable or installed in a vehicle, on board a ship or an aircraft," he added.

The first network of mobile satellite services was scheduled to start global commercial operation on September 23, 1998. To facilitate the development of mobile satellite services and the free circulation of mobile earth stations in Hong Kong, the Telecommunication (Mobile Earth Stations) (Exemption) Order was made to exempt a person from the obligation to hold a licence or permit under the Telecommunication Ordinance in respect of:

* the possession of a mobile earth station;

* the establishment, maintenance or use of a low-power mobile earth station; and

* the import into or export from Hong Kong of a mobile earth station or any of its components.

The establishment, maintenance or use of high-power mobile earth stations in Hong Kong will need to be licensed.

The Telecommunication (Mobile Earth Stations) (Exemption) Order will be tabled in the Legislative Council on September 16.

End/Friday, September 11, 1998

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