Both the new international telecommunications carriers, Interna tional Digital Communications and International Telecommunica tions Japan have signed agreements with Cable & Wireless Hong Kong, and applied to the Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications for permission to start international telephone services to the Crown Colony from next spring: for International Digital, this is the first agreement concluded with a foreign operator, and word in Tokyo is that its second biggest investor after C Itoh & Co, Cable & Wireless Plc, was opposed to its Hong Kong subsidiary signing with the rival firm, but the Hong Kong company went ahead and signed with both anyway; both companies are expected to use satellite communications, as well as making use of the Hong Kong-Japan-Korea fibre optic cable which is due to be brought into service in 1990.
