Industry Telecom Headquarters Hong Kong Founder Ricky Wong | Key people William Yeung (CEO) CEO William Yeung (2008–) Founded 1999 | |
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Type Internet Service Provider Products Fibre broadband, Wi-Fi, Telephone, enterprise solutions, data center, roaming data SIM, IDD, MusicOne Revenue HKD 2.34 billion (FY2014-15) Net income HKD 0.36 billion (FY2014-15) Profiles | ||
Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited (HKBN; Chinese: 「香港寬頻網絡」或「香港寬頻」) (SEHK: 1310) , Hong Kong-based ISP established in 1999, is one of the largest residential broadband and telecommunications service providers in Hong Kong. HKBN operates in both Hong Kong and Guangzhou, and employs about 2,900 personnel.
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In January 2016, HKBN held a 37.7% market share of residential broadband subscriptions and a 15.4% share of the enterprise market respectively in Hong Kong.
In May 2012, Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners (a unit of Carlyle Group), acquired 100% of HKBN from CTI Telecom (HK) Limited (CTI) for HK$4.9 billion, according to its listing documents.
In 2016, HKBN acquired the telecommunications and online marketing business of New World Telecommunications Limited for HK$650 million, the merger was completed on March 31.
Abuse of Personal Data
HKBN is the first company in Hong Kong to be convicted under section 35G of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO) by the Magistrates' Court since the law amendment in 2013, which provides that a criminal offence for failing to comply with the requirement from a data subject to cease to use personal data in direct marketing.
HKBN's conviction relates to a customer complainant in April 2013, the customer made his opt-out request to HKBN via both email and post, HKBN subsequently acknowledged receipt of the request in writing. However, the customer still received a voice message through his mobile phone in May 2013, to inform the complainant of the termination of his service contract, plus to promote other services of HKBN.
HKBN pleaded not guilty since the call was merely a service renewal "reminder", however Magistrate Debbie Ng Chung-yee ruled that HKBN used the contract's expiry as an excuse to pitch new services, as promotions of new contracts has not been included in the service scope agreed to by subscribers. HKBN has been fined HK$30,000 in Sep 2015.
Founding and initial growth
Established in 1999, HKBN is founded by Ricky Wong Wai-kay as the first operator to launch "triple-play" (Internet broadband, telephony, IP-TV services) on single network in Hong Kong, as well as the first service provider of residential broadband, with speed ranged from 100Mbps to 1000Mbps.
As of 2014, HKBN owned 692,000 residential broadband subscribers and 32,000 enterprise subscribers, made HKBN the second largest telecommunications operator in Hong Kong after Hong Kong Telecom (HKT; Chinese: 香港電訊有限公司) (SEHK: 6823) .
Expands to mobile broadband
In July 2016, HKBN has secured the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) license from the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA; Chinese: 電訊管理局) , as Hong Kong's 26th MVNO, to offer mobile services using its infrastructure of established mobile network operators. Partnering with China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited (CMHK), HKBN launched mobile services of Greater China 4G plans for corporate consumers.