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A great step forward in making Hong Kong a wireless city has been taken with the awarding of the contract for the Government Wi-Fi programme, which provides the public with convenient and free access to wireless Internet facilities.
Speaking at the contract signing ceremony today (December 7), the Government Chief Information Officer, Mr Howard Dickson, said that the Government's vision was to make Internet broadband services available to all citizens in Hong Kong, whether at home or on the move.
"The 'GovWiFi' programme is one of the many initiatives to be taken forward in leading towards the vision," he said.
Under the programme, the Government will progressively provide Wi-Fi facilities at about 350 government premises all over the territory for free use by the public in the next 18 months. These locations include all public libraries, job centres, public enquiry centres, key cultural and recreation centres, community halls/centres, government offices and large parks.
"Hong Kong is one of the forerunners in the provision of public Wi-Fi service," Mr Dickson said, citing an international survey in which Hong Kong is ranked sixth among big cities in the world in terms of number of locations providing public Wi-Fi service.
According to the latest statistics published by the Office of the Telecommunications Authority, there are more than 5,000 Wi-Fi hotspots providing public Wi-Fi service in the territory.
"The figure will be further driven to about 8,000 when the programme implementation completes in mid 2009, making Hong Kong a leading wireless city," Mr Dickson said.
The contract was concluded through an open, fair and rigorous tendering process. Mr Dickson said he was confident that the contractor, PCCW-HKT Network Services Limited, would demonstrate its capability and competency to achieve the Government's mission.
In conjunction with the start of the implementation, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer will organise a logo and slogan competition for the GovWiFi programme. Creative minds are invited to come up with a logo that is representative of the programme and slogans that help convey its benefits. Details of the competition are available at www.gov.hk/wifi.
Ends/Friday, December 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:24
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