LCQ3:Coverage of telephone service networks in country parks
************************************************************ Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah and a reply by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr John Tsang, in the Legislative Council today (October 19):
Question:
Hikers in distress in country parks or hiking trails are unable to get in touch immediately with the rescue personnel because they are in places outside the coverage of mobile telephone service networks. In this regard, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the respective numbers and locations of mobile base stations that have been and will be set up in the areas of country parks and hiking trails, as well as the coverage of the mobile telephone service networks concerned;
(b) the locations within country parks and hiking trails which are not covered by any mobile telephone service networks, and those which are covered only by some of these service networks (please provide the details of the coverage), and whether these locations will be announced on a regular basis; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(c) its specific solution to the problem of hikers in distress not being able to seek emergency assistance immediately, including whether it will provide additional fixed telephone emergency helplines?
Reply:
Madam President,
In respect of the three parts of the question raised by the Hon Lau, I would like to reply as follows:
(a) At present, seven mobile base stations have been installed in country parks and in the area of hiking trails. They are located at Kowloon Hill, Ma On Shan, Shing Mun Reservoir, Kei Ling Ha, Bride's Pool Road, Golden Hill and Yuen Ng Fan (High Island Reservoir), providing mobile telecommunications service coverage over parts of Kam Shan Country Park, Ma On Shan Country Park, Shing Mun Country Park, Pat Sin Leng Country Park, Plover Cove Country Park, Sai Kung Country Park and High Island Reservoir. In addition, another mobile base station at Tsuen Kam Au is under construction, and is expected to be in operation early next year. It will provide mobile telecommunications service coverage over parts of Tai Lam Country Park and Tai Mo Shan Country Park.
(b) In 2004, the Government tested the reception of mobile telephone network signals along the four hiking trails in country parks and found that it was possible to connect to at least one mobile network along about 90 per cent of the hiking trails. For the remaining 10 per cent of the hiking trails, there were reception difficulties or that it was not possible to connect to any one of the mobile networks of Hong Kong. These hiking trails run through Wang Shan Keuk and Hok Tau in northern New Territories, southwestern Lantau, the central part of Tai Lam Country Park, Tung Ping Chau, as well as Luk Wu, Tai Long, Ham Tin and Hoi Ha of eastern Sai Kung.
It should be noted that the location and distribution of blind spots or places with weak signals of mobile telecommunications networks may be affected by weather conditions or other environmental factors. As such, it is not possible for the Government to maintain at all times information about such areas comprehensively and accurately. However, in order to provide hikers with more detailed information, the Government plans to conduct annual surveys of mobile telecommunications network reception quality along the hiking trails in country parks, and will continue to post such information on the Internet for reference by members of the public.
(c) In addition to the existing facilities, the Government will adopt the following six measures to further improve communications services in country parks -
(1) A nominal annual rental fee of $1 only will continue to be charged for each of these mobile network base station sites in country parks.
(2) The Government will continue to coordinate with participating mobile telecommunications operators to facilitate their shared use of mobile network base stations in country parks.
(3) The installation of two emergency telephone helplines using satellite communications technology at Pak Lap and Sai Wan Road in Sai Kung is expected to complete by the end of 2005. If the effectiveness of such facilities is good, we will continue to install similar facilities at other suitable locations.
(4) In addition to the existing 102 fixed-network emergency helplines, two more will be completed at Tsak Yue Wu in Sai Kung and Tseng Lan Shue in Clear Water Bay by early 2006. The Government will continue to explore installing such emergency helplines at suitable locations.
(5) The Government will publicise to members of the public the use of "112" emergency call number. The objective is to enable them to understand how to make emergency calls in country parks through another mobile network even when they are outside the coverage of the mobile networks to which they have subscribed.
(6) In collaboration with hikers' organisations, the Government will develop guidelines on the use of licence-exempted walkie-talkies in country areas. The objective is to encourage hikers to use such equipment and tune in to a designated channel reserved for emergency calls from time to time to look out for distress calls from other hikers so that the hikers could render assistance to each other or relay the distress message to the relevant authorities.
************************************************************ Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah and a reply by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr John Tsang, in the Legislative Council today (October 19):
Question:
Hikers in distress in country parks or hiking trails are unable to get in touch immediately with the rescue personnel because they are in places outside the coverage of mobile telephone service networks. In this regard, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the respective numbers and locations of mobile base stations that have been and will be set up in the areas of country parks and hiking trails, as well as the coverage of the mobile telephone service networks concerned;
(b) the locations within country parks and hiking trails which are not covered by any mobile telephone service networks, and those which are covered only by some of these service networks (please provide the details of the coverage), and whether these locations will be announced on a regular basis; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(c) its specific solution to the problem of hikers in distress not being able to seek emergency assistance immediately, including whether it will provide additional fixed telephone emergency helplines?
Reply:
Madam President,
In respect of the three parts of the question raised by the Hon Lau, I would like to reply as follows:
(a) At present, seven mobile base stations have been installed in country parks and in the area of hiking trails. They are located at Kowloon Hill, Ma On Shan, Shing Mun Reservoir, Kei Ling Ha, Bride's Pool Road, Golden Hill and Yuen Ng Fan (High Island Reservoir), providing mobile telecommunications service coverage over parts of Kam Shan Country Park, Ma On Shan Country Park, Shing Mun Country Park, Pat Sin Leng Country Park, Plover Cove Country Park, Sai Kung Country Park and High Island Reservoir. In addition, another mobile base station at Tsuen Kam Au is under construction, and is expected to be in operation early next year. It will provide mobile telecommunications service coverage over parts of Tai Lam Country Park and Tai Mo Shan Country Park.
(b) In 2004, the Government tested the reception of mobile telephone network signals along the four hiking trails in country parks and found that it was possible to connect to at least one mobile network along about 90 per cent of the hiking trails. For the remaining 10 per cent of the hiking trails, there were reception difficulties or that it was not possible to connect to any one of the mobile networks of Hong Kong. These hiking trails run through Wang Shan Keuk and Hok Tau in northern New Territories, southwestern Lantau, the central part of Tai Lam Country Park, Tung Ping Chau, as well as Luk Wu, Tai Long, Ham Tin and Hoi Ha of eastern Sai Kung.
It should be noted that the location and distribution of blind spots or places with weak signals of mobile telecommunications networks may be affected by weather conditions or other environmental factors. As such, it is not possible for the Government to maintain at all times information about such areas comprehensively and accurately. However, in order to provide hikers with more detailed information, the Government plans to conduct annual surveys of mobile telecommunications network reception quality along the hiking trails in country parks, and will continue to post such information on the Internet for reference by members of the public.
(c) In addition to the existing facilities, the Government will adopt the following six measures to further improve communications services in country parks -
(1) A nominal annual rental fee of $1 only will continue to be charged for each of these mobile network base station sites in country parks.
(2) The Government will continue to coordinate with participating mobile telecommunications operators to facilitate their shared use of mobile network base stations in country parks.
(3) The installation of two emergency telephone helplines using satellite communications technology at Pak Lap and Sai Wan Road in Sai Kung is expected to complete by the end of 2005. If the effectiveness of such facilities is good, we will continue to install similar facilities at other suitable locations.
(4) In addition to the existing 102 fixed-network emergency helplines, two more will be completed at Tsak Yue Wu in Sai Kung and Tseng Lan Shue in Clear Water Bay by early 2006. The Government will continue to explore installing such emergency helplines at suitable locations.
(5) The Government will publicise to members of the public the use of "112" emergency call number. The objective is to enable them to understand how to make emergency calls in country parks through another mobile network even when they are outside the coverage of the mobile networks to which they have subscribed.
(6) In collaboration with hikers' organisations, the Government will develop guidelines on the use of licence-exempted walkie-talkies in country areas. The objective is to encourage hikers to use such equipment and tune in to a designated channel reserved for emergency calls from time to time to look out for distress calls from other hikers so that the hikers could render assistance to each other or relay the distress message to the relevant authorities.
Ends/Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Issued at HKT 12:48
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