3.1 Television

The regulatory regime of television broadcasting in Hong Kong is technology-neutral. The choice of transmission technology is not a determining factor for the grant of a television programme service licence under the Broadcasting Ordinance and the licensees are free to choose their transmission arrangements for the delivery of television services. The licensees may build their own transmission networks to deliver their service and they need to apply for a carrier licence from the Telecommunications Authority to cover the transmission network. Alternatively, they may engage any of the existing carrier licensees to provide the transmission service. The licensees may also provide their television programme services via multiple transmission platforms so as to enhance the coverage.

3.1.1 Terrestrial transmission

ATV and TVB provide their television programme services in traditional analogue PAL-I format via the UHF broadcast 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 problems. Since 1995, the Authority has directed ATV and TVB to build a total of 17 TV transposers. In August 2004, ATV and TVB have been operating a total of 45 television transmitting stations to serve the territory.

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). According to its licence, HKCTV's network is required to cover 1.77 million households via HFC and MMDS by May 2005. As at August 2004, HKCTV's HFC and MMDS network had already exceeded the requirement and covered around 2.05 million households, i.e. 94% of the total households in Hong Kong. Among them, 1.98 million and 75,000 households were covered respectively by the HFC and MMDS networks.

3.1.3 Satellite Transmission

Since the launch of service in February 2004, Galaxy has been employing satellite to transmit a pay television service to its subscribers. Viewers in multi-storey buildings can receive Galaxy's service through Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV) systems while residents of single residential units, through television receive-only (TVRO) systems. As at August 2004, Galaxy's service covered about 20% of the total households in Hong Kong.

The Chief Executive in Council (CE in C) in September 2004 approved the application by HKCTV to amend its licence to enable it to provide its service by satellite transmission in addition to HFC and MMDS so as to enhance its coverage. In September 2004, HKCTV launched its satellite television service comprising 20 plus channels to serve viewers not covered by its HFC and MMDS networks.

Up to August 2004, there are 14 non-domestic television programme service licensees and they employ satellite to transmit their television services. The satellites used included Asia-3S, Apstar IA, Apstar IIR, PanAmSat 8 and PanAmSat 10. In Hong Kong, more than 200 free-to-air satellite television channels (including those provided by non-domestic TV licensees) are available for reception by more than 660,000 households (over 30% of the total households) via the SMATV systems installed in their buildings. The list of channels is available at http://www.ofta.gov.hk/datastat/st_smatv.pdf.

3.1.4 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line over Broadband Network

PCCW Media's "now Broadband TV" was delivered over the asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) broadband network operated by PCCW-HKT. The delivery of the "now Broadband TV" requires a line rate of 6Mbps downstream per subscriber and PCCW's network of 6 Mbps covers about 91% of the total households in Hong Kong.

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