Milestones
1999
Mobile number portability introduced.
HKT renamed Cable and Wireless Hong Kong Telecom Ltd. (C&W HKT)
Pacific Century Group acquires control of Hong Kong-listed Tricom Holdings Limited, subsequently renamed Pacific Century CyberWorks Limited (PCCW).
1998
HKT agrees to relinquish its international services franchise in return for a balanced compensation package from the HKSAR Government.
China Telecom (Hong Kong) Group Limited becomes HKT's second largest shareholder.
1996
Launch of NETVIGATOR, HKT’s first Internet interactive multimedia service.
1995
HKT's franchise to provide local fixed-line telephone services expires. Three new operators introduced into marketplace.
1993
Hong Kong's local telephone network fully digitized, the first in any major market in the world.
The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) established.
Pacific Century Group established.
1990
CITIC becomes the second largest shareholder in HKT.
HKT restructured into four wholly-owned subsidiaries, including Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited and Hong Kong Telecom International Limited, which hold the local telephone franchise and the franchise for international services respectively.
1988
Hong Kong Telecommunications Limited (HKT) formed by merger of HKTC and Cable and Wireless (Hong Kong) Limited, and listed on both the Hong Kong and New York stock exchanges.
1984
Communication Services Limited (CSL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of HKTC, is given the first license to operate mobile services.
Cable and Wireless acquires HKTC.
1983
The government decides to open the customer-premises equipment market, ushering in a new era of competition.
1981
Hong Kong branch of Cable and Wireless becomes a Hong Kong-registered company, changing its name to Cable and Wireless (Hong Kong) Limited. It is granted an exclusive license to provide international services until 2006.
1976
International Direct Dialing (IDD) service introduced to Hong Kong.
1975
1,000,000th telephone line installed in Hong Kong.
1968
HKTC’s franchise extended to 1995.
1959
Telex service introduced to Hong Kong.
1953
Telephone service extended to the New Territories.
International leased circuits introduced.
1934
Cable and Wireless Limited formed.
1931
Telephone service extended to Canton.
1925
China and Japan Telephone and Electric Co. Ltd. acquired by Hong Kong Telephone Company Ltd. (HKTC), which is granted a 50-year exclusive license to provide domestic telephone services.
1905
Telephone service extended to Kowloon.
