Telecom Regulator Eyes PCCW-HKT Non-Dominance Application
Updated: Saturday, October 27, 2001 02:15 AM ET
HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hong Kong's Telecommunications Authority, or OFTA, said it has received an application for Pacific Century CyberWorks Ltd.'s (PCW, news, msgs) fixed-line telecom division to be declared non-dominant in the external bandwidth services supply market.
The services refer to bandwidth, capacity or connectivity provision for customers to communicate with destinations outside Hong Kong.
The application has been made by PCCW-HKT Ltd. on behalf of PCCW-HKT Telephone Ltd, OFTA said in a consultation paper released late Friday.
Comments from members of the telecommunications industry and other interested parties will be considered when making a final decision, OFTA said.
The PCCW-HKT application is made at the same time as a similar submission from Reach Networks Hong Kong Ltd, OFTA said.
Reach Networks Hong Kong Ltd. is owned by Reach Ltd., a 50-50 joint venture between Telstra Corp. Ltd. (TLS, news, msgs) and PCCW.
The regulator said it "makes sense to deal with the two applications largely together where possible". However, it pointed out a significant distinction.
"Reach Networks operates mainly at the wholesale level, while PCCW-HKT Telephone operates at the retail level of the market for external bandwidth services," it said.
In making its decision, OFTA said it will consider issues such as the degree of market concentration and market share, power to implement decisions and act independently, and barriers to entry.
If the application is approved, OFTA said it will need to assess conditions that are necessary to ensure that there is a level playing field.
The telecoms regulator said comments should be submitted by Nov. 27.
OFTA Web site: www.ofta.gov.hk
-By Yeo Kwee Chuan, Dow Jones Newswires; 852-2802-7002; kwee-chuan.yeo@ dowjones.com DOW JONES NEWS 10-27-01 02:16 AM |
