OFCA puts a strong emphasis on engaging the community and maintains close ties with international organisations on industry development and regulatory matters.
OFCA actively participates in the activities of and maintains close contact with a number of international and regional organisations, either as part of the Chinese delegation or as an individual member of those organisations.
In 2020/21, OFCA attended a total of 20 conferences and meetings hosted by international and regional organisations in virtual format, including the ITU, Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), International Institute of Communications (IIC) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The more notable events of the year included the ITU Regional Radiocommunication Seminar for Asia and the Pacific, the 15th Session of the General Assembly of APT and the IIC International Regulators Forum. OFCA will continue to participate in the activities held by the international and regional organisations with the aim of exchanging views on international best practices in regulating the evolving communications sector, as well as promoting Hong Kong’s achievement as the pre-eminent hub for telecommunications and information infrastructures in the Asia-Pacific region.
OFCA regularly exchanges views and experience on regulatory matters with its counterparts and related organisations.
OFCA proactively keeps the public and the media informed of its work. In 2020/21, OFCA issued 25 press releases on the CA’s major decisions in relation to broadcasting and telecommunications regulatory issues and OFCA’s major initiatives, operations and events. Speeches and presentations made by the Director-General of Communications at public events and industry conferences were also published on our website. These measures help disseminate our messages to both the industry and the public, and enable them to gain a better understanding of our work.
In 2020/21, given the prevailing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, OFCA only gave one talk on broadcasting services in Hong Kong to local students of a primary school and two talks to the participants of the Community Involvement Broadcasting Service (CIBS). Students were introduced to the different categories of television programme services in Hong Kong and how audiences could make informed viewing choices. The participants of CIBS were briefed on the programme standards of sound broadcasting services.
OFCA continued to participate in the annual “Science in the Public Service” Lecture Series jointly organised by the Hong Kong Observatory and over 50 government bureaux and departments and public bodies. In order to showcase the efforts made by the CA and the Government to facilitate the development of 5G services and share the examples of 5G innovative applications, OFCA delivered a talk titled “Life Changing 5G Use Cases” on 30 August 2020 at the Hong Kong Science Museum.
Three advisory committees under OFCA have been established to provide a regular and formal channel for various parties to advise OFCA on telecommunications regulatory measures and policies.
Three advisory committees, namely the Telecommunications Regulatory Affairs Advisory Committee, the Radio Spectrum and Technical Standards Advisory Committee, and the Telecommunications Users and Consumers Advisory Committee, were established under OFCA in June 2012. These committees provide a regular and formal channel for the industry, telecommunications service users and interested parties to advise OFCA on the formulation and implementation of various telecommunications regulatory measures and policies.
Members of the advisory committees are drawn from different sectors of the telecommunications industry, relevant government departments and non-governmental organisations as well as the general public. This helps provide a balanced representation of views on issues that are at times highly technical and complex. The term of appointment is two years.
The membership lists of the three advisory committees as of 31 March 2021 can be found in Appendix B.
The role of the Television and Radio Consultative Scheme is to provide qualitative input on television and radio programming to the CA’s public consultation process. Members are drawn from all 18 districts of the territory.
