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Powerline Broadband in Hong Kong

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the price-sounds-fine-to-me dept.

DBordello writes "After a successful two year trial run, Hutchison Global Communications (HGC) has commercially launched a broadband over power line service in selective areas in Hong Kong. According to CNET news, the service offers 1.5 megabit per second speeds at a monthly cost of HK$138 (US$17.70), but users are forced to sign a seven month contract."

10 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. Seven months? by TheRealFixer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    but users are forced to sign a seven month contract.

    Forced? For a little over $17 a month? Heck, almost all broadband providers in the US force you to sign a 12-month contract, at $35+ a month! I'd take a 7-month contract at that price any day!

    1. Re:Seven months? by mferrare · · Score: 5, Informative

      I guess there's not too many Hong Kong people on at the moment.

      HK Salaries vary wildly. From around $US450/month to tens of thousands of $US per month. Most of the people I know even those making $HK10k/month ($US1200/month) can still afford broadband.

      Next, tax is about 17T of your income. The first $US2500 (I think) is tax free. The tax base is all income tax - no sales tax or any other taxes worth mentioning

      As for broadband, well it's pretty much the standard thing here. A good example is this. I'm currently typing this to you from a 3Mbit DSL connection. I Pay $HK198 == $US25/month for it. It's an _unlimited_ connection - no download limits, no connection limits. No disconnects either. I could have chosen between 1.5, 3 or 6Mbit DSL. I also had the choice of 10Mbit xDSL. There are (at least) 3 telcos (including HGC) that provide DSL. My deal is a pretty good one for DSL. A 'standard' deal would see me paying $HK300 ($US37.50) for a 3Mbit link with only (I think) 100 hours per month. Or I could have chosen an (up to) 10Mbit cable connection from the sole cable provider in Hong Kong (iCable). They wanted $HK260/month ($US35) but it was unlimited. But if there's too many people on cable you don't get anything like the 10Mbit they advertise. Or some telcos provide 10Mbit ethernet in my apartment complex. Some of them start at around $HK48 ($US6)/month. But again you take the risk re: bandwidth sharing.

      So, the bandwidth and price on offer doesn't seem too hot when you look at it in context. Also, the trial is happening in an apartment complex owned by Li Ka Shing who's the same guy that owns Hutchison. Seems logical.

      Finally, Hong Kong is a small place with 6.5 million people and we quite literally live on top of each other. It's easy to roll out a cheap broadband service as a result. Infrastructure costs per person reached would be much smaller than the US or Australia (my old home).

      Hope this helps.

      --
      Why would anyone want to use a text editor that is not vi?
  2. I wonder by zurmikopa · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does it have an ad campaign along the lines of "Sign up now and get 3 pirated movies free!"?

  3. Powerlines the best idea? by drunkrussian · · Score: 4, Funny

    In other news, Hong Kong is without power after a surge (ha, ha) of users immediately began swapping pirated software and movies...

  4. Reversi by limekiller4 · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the article:
    "Users are required to lock into a seven-month contract in return for a modem, or power socket."

    Now all we need is a PCMCIA version. Then we'll have a modem that gets its electricity from the computer and the information from the wall outlet.

    And you thought tech support had it rough now...

    "Nono, sir, you don't..."
    [BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZttt *spark, *fssszt]

    --
    My .02,
    Limekiller
  5. No broadband at all by jlrowe · · Score: 4, Funny
    17$ a month?

    I'm stuck here with no broadband access at all. Cable and DSL are not available, only satellite which is expensive. Stuck with dial-up.

    And this thing works over powerlines? And is *cheaper* than all the other broadband methods?

    Oh dear! Punish me with that contract at $17 a month! Please punish me....

  6. And when you want faster service... by mtec · · Score: 5, Funny

    You call customer service and yell "MORE POWER!!! (grunt, grunt, grunt)"

    --
    Cake or Death? Cake Please!
  7. Re:Hong Kong is a very small island... by odaiwai · · Score: 4, Informative

    Umm, if you'd read the article you'd've know that they're doing this in Hung Hom, which is Kowloon side and not on Hong Kong Island at all.

    Still very densely populated, but, Hong Kong is not the same as Hong Kong Island.

  8. FCC Regulations by Cyberllama · · Score: 4, Informative

    If I recall correctly, the technology generated too much intereference to comply with existing FCC regulations. I don't recall the specifics. . .

  9. Re:Something different about the H.K. power system by odaiwai · · Score: 5, Informative

    The HK power systems is 220v, same as the UK. There is nothing special about the HK power system as opposed to the UK power system.

    However, because almost everyone lives in apartment blocks of 40 stories (average), converting one single building to powerline internet at construction time can result in 200+ flats with powerline. A typical large suburban development will be 10 towers, each of forty+ stories, with 6 or more flats per floor. If you own the company which builds the flats, you can build in your other company's internet, and lock those tenants into your services. Not only do they have to buy from you, they have to pay you a monthly access fee. Also, at build time, you can lock out cable and telecoms providers, so tenants have to pay extra to have those services.

    dave "and you thought it was a free economy"