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The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) today (Friday) issued a set of Guidance Note to Hong Kong Cable Television Limited (HKCTV) to invite the company to apply for a licence to operate Fixed Telecommunications Network Services (FTNS) over its hybrid fibre coaxial cable network.

The invitation to HKCTV to provide FTNS is based on the announcement by the Government in May 1999 that HKCTV will be permitted to offer telecommunications services over its hybrid fibre coaxial cable network associated with subscription broadcasting services already licensed to HKCTV.

"This would make more efficient use of HKCTV's network and allow competition to be introduced in the provision of broadband services within a short timeframe," said a spokesman from OFTA.

The permission given to HKCTV to offer telecommunications services is subject to the agreement of HKCTV to extend its cable network to cover the areas currently served by their Microwave Multiple Distribution System and to return these frequencies on an agreed schedule. HKCTV is also required to open up its broadband network to allow interconnection, at reasonable charges, with other telecommunications and television networks.

The Guidance Note may be downloaded from OFTA's Internet home page at http://www.ofta.gov.hk.

End/Friday, August 20, 1999

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