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Tag: HKBN

  • HKBN launches broadband-pay TV bundles

    HKBN launches broadband-pay TV bundles

    HKBN has launched a new range of bundled broadband and pay TV offers for both enterprise and consumer customers, in collaboration with TVB.

    Subscribers to HKBN Enterprise Solutions will be able to sign up for a 100Mbps business broadband service for prices starting at HK$588 on a 24-month contract. The service will be bundled with access to a basic myTV SUPER pay TV pack as well as a sports upgrade pack.

    Meanwhile consumer customers can subscribe to a 100Mbps service for prices starting at HK$198 or a 1000Mbps service for prices starting at HK$238, which will be bundled with the myTV Gold service, as well as a home telephone service and Wi-Fi concierge service.

    HKBN will waive initial installation fees for both the enterprise and consumer packages.

    “HKBN has been striving to disrupt the status quo in the market. After studying the toll levels of current pay TV content in the market, we strongly believe that a great deal of room still exists for customers to enjoy world-class movies, entertainment and sports events at more competitive prices,” HKBN EVP William Yeung said.

    “Today, we aim to further strengthen the dual play of superb broadband service and OTT content through the advantage myTV SUPER collaboration. HKBN will deliver a wave of offers for both the residential and enterprise market as a way to reward our customers.”

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  • HKBN cleared to merge with WTT

    HKBN cleared to merge with WTT

    HKBN has secured approval from the Communications Authority to complete its acquisition of WTT Holding after making new commitments to the regulator.

    HKBN and WTT revealed plans in August last year to merger through an all stock deal valuing WTT at HK$10.5 billion.

    But the Communications Authority subsequently announced that it had identified a number of competition issues that could arise under the merger, and warned it may conduct a formal investigation into the merger.

    These issues included concerns that competing operators could face difficulty accessing buildings that are not exclusively for residential use where both companies already have equipment in order to compete with the combined company.

    The authority also raised concern that downstream rivals may become locked into wholesale agreements with the combined company, making them captive customers.

    To address these concerns, HKBN and WTT made additional commitments in January, and subsequently revised them in response to feedback from the regulator.

    Under the revised commitments, the combined company has agreed to facilitate access to any elements of its in-building communications systems in relevant buildings that will be required for rivals to serve non-residential customers.

    The merged company would also agree to provide wholesale services on existing or no less favorable terms to downstream rivals for three years after the date of the revised commitments rather than two.

    With these commitments, the authority said it is satisfied that its competition concerns have been effectively addressed, and now does not intend to commence an investigation into the deal.

    HKBN said the company is now on track to complete the acquisition by the end of the month. The company has appointed two new directors that will represent the new major shareholders it will be acquiring through the transaction. Zubin Iraini will represent TPG Capital Asia, and Teck Kong will represent MBK Partners.

    Meanwhile HKBN has selected current HKBN Enterprise Solutions COO Billy Yeung to assume the dual role of CEO of HKBN Enterprise Solutions and CEO of WTT and lead the integration of the companies.

    Current WTT CEO Vincent Ma will retire from the role immediately upon completion of the transaction.

  • HKBN, TVB extend partnership to enterprise segment

    HKBN, TVB extend partnership to enterprise segment

    Hong Kong fixed line operator HKBN and broadcaster TVB have expanded their strategic partnership to the enterprise market, offering business customers coupons offering discounts on each other’s services bundled with a contract.

    Under the collaboration, business customers of both companies will be eligible for discounts worth up to 50% of their total service contract for digital marketing and telecommunications services respectively.

    For example, enterprises subscribing to dedicated HKBN solutions with a contract sum of HK$100,000 ($12,739) will receive a coupon worth up to HK$50,000 for settling advertising fees on the myTV SUPER and Big Big Channel marketing channels.

    Likewise, subscribers to the marketing and advertising plans will be granted a coupon worth up to 50% of the value towards newly subscribed HKBN enterprise solution services.

    The myTV SUPER OTT platform is the largest in Hong Kong with over 7.3 million registered users. TVB’s ad booking manager allows businesses to advertise on the channel for a fee as low as HK$1,000.

    Big Big Channel meanwhile provides on-stop video marketing solutions, ranging from video planning and production to delivering contents to the Big Big Channel app.

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  • HKBN to strengthen data protection measures

    HKBN to strengthen data protection measures

    Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) has promised to implement new data protection measures for its customer data in the next three months in response to a targeted cyberattack discovered last week.

    Under the new measures, all personal information of customers whose accounts have been closed will be kept for six months, instead of seven years, and will subsequently be deleted from the company’s database.

    Furthermore, HKBN would modify the way its stores the data of existing customers. Hong Kong ID card numbers would be randomly removed, as well as the digit in brackets. For credit card numbers, the company would delete the seventh to 12th digits.

    “Keeping only partial but not all of the most sensitive data like credit card number and Hong Kong ID card number gives peace of mind to our customers,” said William Yeung, co-owner and CEO, HKBN.

    For new customers, their full identity card number and credit card number would be collected only to support service activation, number porting and bank payment application. Once these procedures have been completed, part of the said two numbers would also be deleted from the HKBN system.

    Yeung said the new policy would make the information less attractive to hackers, adding that the company is taking decisive actions beyond the industry’s common practices.

    The new data protection measures would be implemented after they cleared with the relevant government departments.

    The targeted cyberattack, discovered on April 16, involved the hacking of an inactive customer database containing the information of some 380,000 customer and service applicant records of HKBN fixed and IDD services as of 2012, which represents about 11% of the company’s 3.6 million customer records.

    The information in the database includes names, home addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers and HKID card numbers. It also contains information of some 43,000 credit card information as of 2012.

    HKBN had reported the incident to the Hong Kong Police and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data. Investigation into the incident is on-going.

    “No conclusion of the incident investigation is available yet, but we’ve already identified the areas that we will definitely address to enhance data security protection such as introducing multi-factor authentication, stepping up encryption, putting up additional layers of cyber defenses on top of our existing protections, and burgeoning resources to expand the information security team,” Yeung said.

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  • HKBN profit surges 423.4% in 1H18

    HKBN profit surges 423.4% in 1H18

    Hong Kong’s HKBN has reported a strong 423.4% increase in net profit for the six months ending in February to HK$241 million ($30.7 million), partly as a result of strong residential and enterprise growth.

    Adjusted for amortisation and non-recurring finance costs, profit grew 70% year-on-year to HK$295.4 million, the operator said.

    Revenue for the six month period increased 22% to HK$1.86 billion, with residential revenue up 17% to HK$1.1 billion and enterprise revenue growing 19% to HK$679.2 million.

    Total residential customers grew 8% to just over 1 million. HKBN’s mobile customer base grew fourfold year-on-year to 222,000, but broadband subscriptions declined 1% to 872,000 and voice subscriptions fell 2% to 515,000 over the same period.

    The company attributed its strong performance to the introduction of its quad-play broadband, voice, mobile services and OTT video strategy.

    HKBN’s enterprise customer base meanwhile increased 10% to 56,000, and enterprise ARPU increased 4% to HK$1,526.

    “We are proud to have delivered remarkable, across-the-board growth in the industry, executing in line with our pledged J-curve strategy,” HKBN CEO William Yeung said.

    “We are moving full steam ahead to harvest higher returns for our investors in the years to come, and simultaneously bring exceptional value for our customers.”

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  • HKBN launches roaming-focused mobile plan

    HKBN launches roaming-focused mobile plan

    Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) and free to air TV broadcaster Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) have launched a new joint mobile service plan offering a shared data allocation for customers roaming internationally.

    The new plan includes a free Global Phone, an Android-based smartphone that uses CloudSIM technology to provide mobile network service across more than 60 countries and territories.

    The Global Phone also supports dual SIM technology to allow local mobile network service to be activated by inserting a local SIM into the device.

    Customers will receive 5GB of monthly global data usage, as well as between 3GB and 12GB of local data depending on plan tier. Prices start at HK$198 ($25.22) per month.

    New customers porting their mobile number from any other operator will be granted 2GB of bonus data on the base 3GB plan, and existing HKBN broadband, home phone or mobile service customers registering the plan will be provided a HK$58 monthly discount.

    Via the partnership with TVB, the Global Phone will come pre-loaded with a 24-month subscription to TVB’s MyTV SUPER App as well as its TVB Anywhere App for use in mainland China and other overseas markets.

    “Today, many Hong Kongers and companies are still paying a lot for roaming. We’re determined to put an end to the era of exorbitant roaming charges, so that Hong Kongers can enjoy high-speed, high-quality mobile data services at great prices, at home and abroad,” HKBN CEO William Yeung said.

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  • HKBN profit falls 66% in 1H17

    HKBN profit falls 66% in 1H17

    HKBN has reported a 66% decline in net profit for the first quarter of 2017 to HK$46 million ($5.9 million), due in part to investments associated with the operator’s entry into the mobile market as an MVNO.

    But revenue grew 25% to HK$1.53 billion as the company accelerated growth in both its residential and enterprise businesses.

    HKBN said that since the beginning of the financial year, the Hong Kong operator’s residential focus has shifted from subscriber to revenue growth.

    The company traded off a slowdown in broadband net additions – to 21,000 from 38,000 in the same quarter a year earlier – for an improvement in ARPU to HK$192 from HK$166 over the same period.

    Residential revenue accordingly grew 5% year-on-year to HK$941 million, with HKBN increasing its market share to around 37.6% by end-December, from 37.2% as of August 31.

    Enterprise business revenue meanwhile more than doubled to HK$569 million, as a result of the HK$650 million acquisition of New World Telecom (NWT) in March last year. HKBN recorded 1,000 enterprise net additions to take its total base to 51,000, while ARPU was flat at HK$1,467.

    “This interim results mark the beginning of our quad-play harvest,” HKBN CEO William Yeung said.

    “We have a monthly billing relationship with over 870,000 broadband households, representing over one-third of Hong Kong households. We will continue to leverage this to expand from our double-play centric business on broadband and fixed voice to quad-play, which includes OTT and mobile service offerings.”

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  • HKBN expands OTT video tie-up with TVB

    HKBN expands OTT video tie-up with TVB

    HKBN has expanded its relationship with broadcaster TVB covering the delivery of TVB’s myTV SUPER set-top box service.

    The operator has ordered an additional 450,000 set top boxes from TVB to meet customer demand, and has raised its target for the number of set-top boxes to be installed by the end of 2019 to 850,000.

    HKBN first launched myTV SUPER set-top boxes for its residential broadband customers in April, and has so far signed up 250,000 customers to the service. Adoption has been faster than expected – HKBN had an initial sales target of 400,000 set-top boxes within the first 18 months.

    The expanded agreement also covers collaboration on market opportunities outside of Hong Kong, using TVB’s new OTT service TVB Anywhere. The service will allow users to buy VOD titles as a gift and send them to recipients around the world.

    HKBN is also using its expertise to introduce TVB to overseas operator partners. The first phase of the international expansion is commencing in Canada.

    “Throughout the past seven months, the launch of our broadband and myTV SUPER service bundles has been extremely successful. Mindful of this, we’re determined to step up our strategic cooperation,” HKBN CEO William Yeung said.

    “Not only will we continue to bring amazing entertainment content to the homes and mobile devices of HKBN customers in Hong Kong, but we will also extend our partnership to the overseas markets, creating a stronger alliance so that more customers can benefit.”

  • HKBN Mobile launches Greater China 4G plans

    HKBN Mobile launches Greater China 4G plans

    Hong Kong Broadband Network’s new Mobile Services MVNO division has launched a line of Greater China 4G plans for corporate customers who frequently travel between mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

    The new mobile plans include data allocations shareable across the four markets via a single SIM. HKBN is using China Mobile Hong Kong’s 4G network to provide the service.

    HKBN secured an MVNO a license in July, and launched mobile services in September, introducing a range of consumer plans including a HK$446 ($57.50) unlimited 4G service.

    The new corporate 4G plans range from HK$198 for 1GB of data shareable across the four markets to HK$448 for 10GB of data.

    Each plan comes with unlimited voice calls and SMS, as well as free call management value added services during the contract period and free use of the MobileOffice Plus app, which allows smartphone users to remotely make and receive calls from their designated business number from anywhere.

    “With increasing business travelling between Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, cross-border data services are in high demand,” HKBN chief commercial officer for enterprise solutions Billy Yeung said.

    “By partnering with CMHK, we are best positioned to offer our customers high-value and cost-effective Greater China service plans.”

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  • HKBN awarded MVNO license

    HKBN awarded MVNO license

    Hong Kong ISP HKBN has secured a license from telecoms regulator OFCA to offer MVNO services in the market.

    OFCA has granted HKBN an expanded services-based operator license to allow the company to offer mobile services using the infrastructure of established mobile network operators.

    The company has signed an agreement with China Mobile Hong Kong, and is in discussions with two other mobile operators, with the goal of launching mobile services for both residential and corporate customers.

    HKBN said it expects to soft-launch mobile services in as early as August this year to complement its existing fixed line services.

    With the addition of MVNO services the company will be able to introduce quad-play offers combining broadband, fixed line telephone, OTT entertainment and mobile services in the same package.

    “This is a strong move to maximize shareholder value by offering a full suite of fixed and mobile services, leveraging our quickly expanding broadband customer base of over 800,000 households,” HKBN CEO and co-owner William Yeung said.

    “Replicating our success in the fixed broadband market,our mobile service will come with strong value propositions, aiming to delight customers with the best customer experience at highly competitive prices.”

    HKBN recently announced that the majority of the company’s supervisory and management-level employees have now invested in the company under its co-ownership program.

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