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Following is a question by the Hon Tsang Yok-sing and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the Legislative Council today (March 28):
Question:
I have received complaints from members of the public that they cannot receive mobile phone calls whilst they are inside certain markets managed by government departments as such venues are not within the areas covered by mobile phone service networks. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the number of complaints, received in each of the past three years by various government departments, about failure to make / send or receive mobile phone calls or messages in the venues under their management, as well as the follow-up actions and measures taken and their effectiveness; and
(b) the measures the Government will take to ensure that people can make / send and receive mobile phone calls and messages in the venues under its management?
Reply:
Madam President,
In Hong Kong, mobile networks and services are provided by mobile service operators whose investment in the mobile networks is a commercial decision driven by the market. Over the years, the mobile service operators have been actively expanding and improving the coverage of their mobile networks under market competition. At present, mobile services (including both the second and third generation mobile services) have provided coverage over most areas of Hong Kong except some remote rural areas.
Technically speaking, given the inherent propagation characteristics of radio waves and potential physical constraints arising from the environment or design of the premises (for example, certain spots deep inside a building or concealed locations in an indoor venue, or too many corners within a building), mobile users may be able to receive weak signals only or no signals at all, even though the premises are covered by mobile networks. In addition, because network configurations adopted by mobile service operators may be different from each other, and mobile phone users may use different handsets, the strength of signals of their networks as received by different users in the same premises may differ as well.
Regarding the question asked by Hon Tsang Yok-sing, my reply is as follows:
(a) Over the past three years, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) has only received a few complaints about the failure to receive mobile phone calls or messages in government venues. Specific figures are as follows:
Complaints about the failure to receive mobile service signals in government venues:
2004 4
2005 7
2006 8
As mobile phone and message services are provided by mobile service operators, OFTA, upon receiving such complaints from the public, will suggest to the complainants to report their cases directly to the operator concerned, so that the operator can take appropriate follow-up actions promptly. OFTA will also refer the complaints to the operator concerned on request. We understand that in some cases, the situation has been improved following suitable adjustments made to the network facilities by the operators.
(b) As described above, mobile networks are the investments of mobile service operators who provided the mobile services. We believe that under a fully open and fair competition environment, mobile service operators will, having regard to the market situation and customer demands, provide network coverage to meet their customers' needs for mobile communications services in government venues. OFTA will also reflect to the mobile service operators the opinions and requests of the members of the public.
Ends/Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:24
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