Communications Authority press release
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This press release summarises the Communications Authority (CA)'s decisions following its 67th meeting held in September 2017:
Issue of a Code of Practice on the Cessation Arrangements for Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Services
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Taking into account views and comments received from the industry and relevant stakeholders, the CA approved the issue of a Code of Practice on the Cessation Arrangements for MVNO Services (CoP) to provide practical guidance to the licensees in the event of cessation of MVNO services in order to better protect consumer interests.
The CoP sets out the requirements to ensure that MVNOs and their hosting mobile network operators should manage the service cessation arrangements in a better co-ordinated manner and that a reasonable advance notice, namely at least one calendar week for local services and at least one calendar day for international services, will be given to the affected service subscribers and the general public before any service cessation by a MVNO. This will enable affected service subscribers to make timely arrangements to reduce the adverse impacts caused by the service cessation.
The CoP shall be observed and complied with by all MVNOs and their hosting mobile network operators as part of their licensing obligations. In order to safeguard the MVNOs' commitment to comply with the CoP, MVNOs will be imposed a performance bond requirement by the CA to secure the payment of any financial penalty due to any contravention of licence obligation on compliance with the CoP.
The CoP has been published on the CA's website (www.coms-auth.hk/filemanager/statement/en/upload/421/cop-mvno_e.pdf) and will be brought into effect one month from the date of issue, i.e. on October 28, 2017.
Broadcast Complaint
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The CA considered a complaint case against the radio programme "Made in Hong Kong" broadcast on the Radio 2 Channel of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) on May 3, 2017. The CA decided that RTHK should be strongly advised to observe more closely the relevant provision in the Radio Code of Practice on Programme Standards. Details of the case are at www.coms-auth.hk/filemanager/en/content_713/appx_20170928_en.pdf.
Ends/Thursday, September 28, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:10
Issued at HKT 16:10
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