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The Telecommunications Authority (TA) today (December 21) served a notice on Citizens' Radio directing it to immediately cease operating its radio transmitting equipment which was found to have caused harmful interference to an aeronautical communication channel.
"On the evenings of December 16, 17 and 20, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) received complaints from the Civil Aviation Department that their communication channel had been interfered with by sound broadcasting signals. Upon investigation, which OFTA conducted promptly, we had reason to believe that the source of interference originated from the unlicensed radio transmitting equipment operated by Citizens' Radio and installed in an industrial building in Kwun Tong. As the harmful interference poses a risk to aviation safety, the TA issued a notice today under section 32J of the Telecommunications Ordinance (TO) directing Citizens' Radio to immediately cease operating its radio transmitting equipment," a spokesman for OFTA said.
Under section 32J of the TO, any person who knowingly and without lawful excuse, uses an apparatus in a manner that causes harmful interference with any other lawful telecommunications services or apparatus, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of HK$50,000 and to imprisonment for six months.
"OFTA will monitor the situation closely and take enforcement action as appropriate if Citizens' Radio fails to comply with the notice by ceasing the operation of its radio transmitting equipment," the spokesman warned.
Ends/Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:22
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