The Office of the Telecommunications Authority has published an updated list of buildings connected by at least two self-built customer access networks of local fixed network operators.

It is the first time for buildings accessed by Cable Television's self-built customer access network to be included in the list.

The authority said after the announcement of the new Type II interconnection policy last July, fixed network operators are actively rolling out their self-built customer access networks to provide choices and services to end customers.

Type II is interconnection of the network of a fixed telecommunications operator to the network of another at the customer-access level, which runs from local telephone exchanges of the network to customers' premises.

In addition to PCCW-HKT Telephone, the five fixed-line operators, including Hong Kong Broadband Network, Cable TV, Hutchison Global Communications, New World Telecommunications and Wharf T&T, have together achieved a household coverage of 69%, up from 60% in September.

Out of this 69% coverage, 41% of the households (2,405 residential buildings) have a choice of at least three customer access networks while 28% (4,025 residential buildings) have a choice of two customer access networks.

With the launch of broadband IP conveyance service as well as voice-over IP conveyance service by Cable TV last October, the authority is satisfied that part of its self-built customer access network can provide both voice and broadband services, and is also able to meet the open platform criterion.

The authority also confirms that part of Cable TV's self-built customer access network can meet the transmission capacity criterion.

Having met all three objective criteria to qualify as an alternative customer access network, part of Cable TV's network is included in the building list for the first time.

Mandatory Type II interconnection will be withdrawn in the buildings included in the building list after a two-year transitional period and a one-year "grandfather" period, starting from the published date of the buildings.

The authority reiterated the withdrawal will be fully implemented across Hong Kong by June 30, 2008, except for buildings meeting the "essential facilities" criterion, adding that in the run-up to this date, the withdrawal will be implemented in an orderly manner on a building-by-building basis and will apply to buildings already connected to at least two self-built customer access networks.

The building list was first published on September 24 last year, and is to be updated on a half-yearly basis to cover buildings that are newly connected by alternative self-built customer access networks. The next round of updates will be published in September.