Annual surveys of mobile phone reception quality in country parks will be conducted, with the results put online for hikers' reference.

Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology John Tsang told legislators today the Government tested reception on four hiking trails last year and found it was possible to connect to at least one network on 90% of trails.

There were reception difficulties on trails in Wang Shan Keuk and Hok Tau in the northern New Territories, southwestern Lantau, the central part of Tai Lam Country Park, Tung Ping Chau, as well as Luk Wu, Tai Long, Ham Tin and Hoi Ha in eastern Sai Kung.

Mr Tsang said as blindspot locations can be affected by weather or other environmental factors, it is not possible for the Government to maintain comprehensive and accurate data on these areas.

Mobile base stations

Seven mobile base stations have been installed in country parks and around hiking trails. They are at Kowloon Hill, Ma On Shan, Shing Mun Reservoir, Kei Ling Ha, Bride's Pool Road, Golden Hill and Yuen Ng Fan (High Island Reservoir), covering parts of Kam Shan, Ma On Shan, Shing Mun, Pat Sin Leng, Plover Cove, Sai Kung, and the High Island Reservoir.

Another mobile base station at Tsuen Kam Au will launch early next year, providing service coverage to parts of Tai Lam and Tai Mo Shan country parks.

Mr Tsang said these measures will also be adopted:

* charging an annual rental fee of $1 for each mobile network base station site in country parks;

* co-ordinate with telecom operators to facilitate shared use of mobile network base stations;

* install two emergency satellite telephone helplines at Pak Lap and Sai Wan Road in Sai Kung by year's-end, and consider installing similar facilities at other locations;

* install two more fixed-network emergency helplines at Tsak Yue Wu in Sai Kung and Tseng Lan Shue in Clear Water Bay early next year;

* publicise use of the 112 emergency number; and,