The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, is inviting applications for licences to operate external telecommunications services.

This follows the announcement yesterday (October 22), of the policy decision by the SAR Government that there would be no limit placed on the number of licences for the operation of external telecommunications services.

The applicant has to be a company registered under the Companies Ordinance in Hong Kong, but there is no foreign ownership restriction on the licensee, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office of the SAR Government in Canada, Mr. Donald Tong, said.

"The external telecommunications services in question are mainly International Direct Dialling (IDD) type of services for voice, facsimile and data operated using International Simple Resale (ISR), Internet telephony or other techniques," Mr. Tong said.

"The licences will be effective no earlier than January 1, 1999, the commencement date for external services liberalisation."

Licences will be issued to applicants who fulfil the licensing criteria specified in the Guidance Note.

The general criteria are that the service proposed in the application should be technically sound and compatible with the local environment.

The applicant should also have the financial and technical capability to invest in and operate the service proposed in the application.

Existing operators of ISR services for facsimile and data need to apply for the new licence if they wish to extend their services to cover voice telephone services.

There will be no deadline for the submission of applications. The Guidance Note giving detailed information on how to apply may be downloaded from the website at http://www.ofta.gov.hk.

For further information please contact Chief Information Officer, Frank Chuan, at telephone no. (416) 924-5544.