Hong
Kong Internet and E-Commerce Facilities
The
Internet access business in Hong Kong is
highly competitive, with more than 100 providers,
with at least 10 of them being substantial
and well-financed operations. Internet access
is available throughout the SAR.
With
a sophisticated telecommunications infrastructure,
Hong Kong offers access to broadband connectivity
to more than 90% of all households. The
take up of broadband services got off to
a slow start, but a boom in broadband access
took off in 2003. By early 2004, there were
about 1.5 million broadband subscribers,
representing about 35% of the total Internet
subscriber base.
PCCW's
Cyberport set out to transform Hong Kong's
Internet infrastructure. The Cyberport's
goal was to provide the office and residential
space for high tech ventures and their employees;
the government provided one of the last
undeveloped parcels of land on the Hong
Kong island for the Cyberport in return
for a share in the venture. However, the
Cyberport was unlucky with its timing, and
when the first phase opened in 2002 only
80% of it quickly let, to five tenants including
Microsoft.
In
December, 2003, website owners in Hong Kong
expressed outrage at plans unveiled by the
Hong Kong Domain Name Registration Company
to launch a .hk domain in 2004. Current
domain name designations in Hong Kong include
.com.hk, .edu.hk, and .org.hk, and many
website and business owners have argued
that they are happy with these categories,
and resent being forced to pay again to
protect their brand.
Jim
Morgan, founder and chief technology officer
of security firm Datalude, suggested that
the move would "create anarchy", as businesses
rush to register domain names with the Hong
Kong local authority. "The resulting legal
disputes and unfairness would go down in
folklore. The other outcome would be that
a large amount of money would find its way
into Hong Kong Domain's coffers," he predicted.
Mr
Morgan also observed that: "I see no real
need for the .hk namespace. We already have
a .com.hk which conforms, more or less,
to accepted international standards."
