3.1 Television
The regulatory regime for television programme services in
Hong Kong provided under the Broadcasting Ordinance is technology-neutral5.
Licensees are free to choose their transmission arrangements
for the delivery of television services. The broadcasters
can build their own transmission networks to deliver their
services and, in such cases, they need to apply for a carrier
licence from the Telecommunications Authority to cover the
transmission network. Alternatively, they can engage any of
the existing carrier licensees to provide the transmission
service. The licensees can also provide their television programme
services via multiple transmission platforms so as to maximise
the coverage.
3.1.1 Terrestrial transmission
ATV and TVB are providing their television programme services
in analogue PAL-I format via the UHF radio frequency band.
They are required to provide service throughout Hong Kong
under the Broadcasting Ordinance and to construct new transposers
as directed by the Authority to improve reception in areas
with reception problems6. Since 1995, the Authority
has directed ATV and TVB to build a total of 17 TV transposers
to serve pocket areas not covered by the six main transmission
stations7 and supplementary transposers. As of
August 2006, there were a total of 39 station-operated television
transmitting stations and 11 community self-help transposers8
serving the territory.
| Figure 8 : |
|
List of Transposers Constructed by ATV and TVB
as Directed by the Authority since 1995 |
|
Transposer Site |
Direction by
the Authority |
Completion Date |
|
Pokfulam Village |
1995 |
1996 |
|
Tui Min Hoi, Sai Kung |
1996 |
1996 |
|
Sham Tseng |
1996 |
1996 |
|
Tsing Yi |
1997 |
1997 |
|
Ying Pun |
1997 |
2003 |
|
Yuen Long Town Centre |
1998 |
2003 |
|
Tseung Kwan O Village |
1998 |
2001 |
|
Hang Hau Village |
1999 |
2002 |
|
Tuen Mun Village |
1999 |
2002 |
|
Tung Chung Village |
2000 |
2003 |
|
Fuk Hang Tsuen and Fu Tei of Tuen
Mun |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Central & Western Districts |
2001 |
2002 |
|
Kau Wah Keng |
2001 |
2003 |
|
Tai Pak Tin area of Kwai Chung |
2002 |
2004 |
|
Cheung Chau |
2002 |
2004 |
|
Cha Kwo Ling |
2004 |
2005 |
|
Ap Lei Chau & Aberdeen |
2004 |
2007 |
3.1.2 Hybrid Fibre Coaxial Cable (HFC) and Microwave Multipoint
Distribution System (MMDS)
HKCTV delivers its domestic pay television programme service mainly by hybrid fibre coaxial cable (HFC) network, supplemented by microwave multipoint distribution system (MMDS) and satellite transmission. As at August 2006, HKCTV's HFC and MMDS network covered around 2.2 million households, i.e. 96% of the total households in Hong Kong.
3.1.3 Satellite Transmission
Since the launch of service in February 2004, TVB Pay Vision has been employing satellite to transmit a pay television service to its subscribers. In September 2004, HKCTV added satellite transmission mode to deliver its service.
Up to August 2006, there were 14 non-domestic television programme service licensees. All of them employed satellites to transmit their television services to the region. The satellites used were AsiaSat3S, AsiaSat 4, Apstar IIR, Apstar V, PanAmSat 8, PanAmSat 10 and Intelsat 701.
Viewers in multi-storey buildings can receive satellite television channels
directly through SMATV systems. In August 2006, the SMATV
systems covered 799,630 households in Hong Kong, representing
34.9% of the total households.
3.1.4 Broadband Network
PCCW Media's "now Broadband TV" service was delivered over the asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) broadband network operated by PCCW-HKT Telephone Limited (PCCW-HKT) through PCCW-HKT's telephony network, which covered about 95% of the total households in Hong Kong.
In August 2005, TVB Pay Vision also started to employ the
broadband network via Hutchison Global Communications Limited
(HGC) to deliver its domestic pay TV service. In 10 May 2006,
TVB Pay Vision launched its service on the transmission platform
of PCCW Media, which could be accessed via the same set-top
box of PCCW Media with a separate electronic programming guide
which is distinguishable from that of PCCW Media's "now Broadband
TV" service.
| Figure 9 : |
|
Coverage of Different Television Transmission
Modes |
| Figure 10 : |
|
Transmission Modes Employed by the Television
Licensees |
|
Licensee |
Transmission Mode |
|
Domestic Free Television
|
|
|
ATV and TVB |
Terrestrial UHF |
|
Domestic Pay Television
|
|
|
HKCTV |
HFC, MMDS and satellite
Broadband network |
|
PCCW Media
TVB Pay Vision |
Satellite and broadband network |
|
Non-domestic Television
|
|
|
All the 14 licensees |
Satellite |
| 5 |
|
An exception is that a service
consists only of a service provided on the Internet
is exempted from the regulatory regime under the Broadcasting
Ordinance. |
| |
|
|
| 6 |
|
According to the guideline issued
by the Authority, the licensees will normally be exempted
from serving those areas where the populations affected
by poor television reception are below 2,000 persons
within an area of a radius of three kilometres. |
| |
|
|
| 7 |
|
Temple Hill, Golden Hill, Castle
Peak, Kowloon Peak, Cloudy Hill and Lamma Island. |
| |
|
|
| 8 |
|
Self-help transposers refer to the TV transposers built
by parties other than the domestic free television programme
service licensees (for example, by the estate developers). |
|
