About 79% and 55% of the 2.5 million households in Hong Kong are respectively provided with two or three customer access networks self-built by fixed network operators, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority says.

The office said the continual investment made by fixed carriers in constructing their networks has enabled consumers to enjoy more choice in telecommunications services.

Apart from attaining satisfactory results in constructing alternative customer access networks, fixed carriers also made great achievements in rolling out their broadband access networks.

The availability of choices of quality services at affordable prices to consumers testifies the success of the facility-based competition policy which the Government has adopted in deregulating the telecommunications market, the office said.

According to a recent report published by the FTTH Councils of Asia Pacific, Europe & North America, with its household penetration of 21.2% Hong Kong has overtaken South Korea and Japan as the world leader in fibre-to-the-home and fibre-to-the-building, plus local area, networks.

In the run up to end June 2008, when the mandatory Type-II interconnection policy is withdrawn, the Government will continue to monitor the market situation closely to ensure a smooth transition.