A wholly owned subsidiary of CLP Holdings Limited (SEHK:0002), CLP TeleCom was established in late 1999 as a major player to create value in the networked economy. Generating further excitement at the launch today, CLP TeleCom also announced its joint venture partnership with Yes-TV to offer a full range of Interactive-TV services.
At the launch celebration, the Hon. Michael Kadoorie, CLP Group Chairman, said:
The Chief Executive of the SAR has very clearly set out his vision for Hong Kong as a telecommunications and Internet hub for Asia. I believe that CLP TeleCom can make a meaningful contribution to the realisation of that vision by enhancing Internet capacity, service innovation and customer choice.
Officiating at the event was Mr. Anthony Wong, Director-General of Telecommunications, Office of the Telecommunications Authority, who said: The very purpose for the industry’s deregulation in recent years has been to improve and enhance telecommunications and data services with the widest and most cost effective choices for the people of Hong Kong. The launch of more and more new companies providing more and more new and innovative services can only broaden these choices and contribute to the benefits of customers.
Mr. Peter Heavyside, 20-year industry veteran and Managing Director of CLP TeleCom added: Telecoms is a natural extension to the CLP Group’s current business as it moves to leverage its strengths. CLP TeleCom will build IP networks for sale to all kinds of Service Providers and we will develop our customer relationships by meeting the need for a range of end-user communications applications and information products for wired and unwired users.
Our launch today marks a particularly auspicious time for us. We introduced our first retail services under the Oxygen brand about two weeks ago, and just today we were very excited to announce our new joint venture with Yes-TV, which will enable us to move into the exciting world of IP enabled multimedia and Interactive TV services, Mr. Heavyside concluded.
CLP TeleCom’s Oxygen retail brand, which was launched at the end of April, promises ease, simplicity and excellent customer services. The first Oxygen product, offering an array of Internet applications, focuses on enriching life with family and friends through an easy and user friendly online channel. With today’s joint venture announcement, the service range will be further boosted with a range of Interactive TV services.
CLP TeleCom has also applied for an External Fixed Telecommunications Network Services licence. The licence will enable the company to provide network operators and other service providers with a range of international network services. Pioneering the service will be ChinaLink, the optical network between Hong Kong and the Mainland offering cost-effective cross-border broadband services with an initial 2.5Gbit/s of bandwidth.
Based on a fully protected resilient ring architecture, the first of its kind between Hong Kong and the Mainland, ChinaLink provides unmatched reliability, unrivalled quality, competitive pricing and an independent alternative for telecom service providers, resellers, web-hosting companies, global carriers, ASPs and ISPs. Initial services will consist of end-to-end International Private Leased Circuits (IPLCs) and Indefeasible Right of Use (IRUs), between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
CLP TeleCom has a unique edge over other industry players as it is able to benefit from existing assets and resources in the CLP Group. Utilising the group’s existing power infrastructure, CLP TeleCom has been able to complete its fibre optic cable network into the Mainland, more quickly and cost effectively than conventional methods. This not only provides for economic efficiency but also for friendliness to the environment because road openings are avoided. These synergies provide more competitive services and offer a greater choice to customers, maintaining Hong Kong’s role as an information city and cementing its position as the telecommunications, broadcasting and Internet hub for the region.
