Wireless move: Government Chief Information Officer Howard Dickson (right) attends the Government Wi-Fi programme contract-signing ceremony.

The Government Wi-Fi programme will make Hong Kong a leading wireless city, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer says, adding the office will organise a logo and slogan competition to tie in with the launch.

The office and PCCW-HKT Network Services today signed a contract for providing Wi-Fi facilities and broadband Internet services at 350 government premises across the city.

Speaking at the ceremony today, Government Chief Information Officer Howard Dickson said Hong Kong is one of the forerunners in the provision of public Wi-Fi service. According to an international survey, Hong Kong ranks sixth in the world in terms of number of locations providing public Wi-Fi service.

There are more than 5,000 Wi-Fi hotspots providing such service in the city. Mr Dickson believes the figure will grow to about 8,000 when the programme implementation is completed in mid-2009.

He was confident the contractor would demonstrate its capability and competency to achieve the Government's target.

In conjunction with the programme's launch, the office will organise a logo and slogan competition. For details, click here.