Some 15 months after it was awarded the franchise to build a cable television network in the Crown Colony (CI No 1,233), the Hong Kong Cable Communications Ltd consortium has folded its tents and stolen away: the consortium, led by Wharf (Holdings) Ltd and US West Inc, with other local interests as investors, has withdrawn from its commitment to build the $513m system because of a decision last month to deregulate Hong Kong’s satellite communications industry; Hutchison Telecommunications Ltd plans to start broadcasting in a year or so using the AsiaSat bird, which is jointly owned by Cable & Wireless Plc, Peking-owned China International Trust & Investment Corp, and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.