Post and Telecommunications Bureau (CTT) Director Derby Lau Wai Meng said yesterday that as the government’s public fixed line telecommunication licences with telecom operators MTel and CTM have been extended to September, she hoped that the bureau could manage the city’s telecom “concession assets” well during the 9-month extension that began in New Year’s Day.
Lau made the remarks during a press conference at the bureau’s headquarters on Largo do Senado.
The extension granted by the government took effect on Monday, which enables telecom operators MTel and CTM to continue to provide fixed line services for at least nine months, according to an announcement by the bureau last month.
The city’s telecom “concession assets” have been managed by telecom operator CTM exclusively since 2009, and Macau’s other telecom service providers are paying CTM to use the “concession assets”. This arrangement has been criticised by some sectors of civil society who would prefer the government to further liberalise the telecom sector.
Asked by the media whether the government will issue new licences for telecom operators to provide “quadruple play” consisting of cable television, Internet access, fixed line and mobile communication services in Macau in the future, Lau said the government would first deal with the network infrastructure and the management of Macau’s “concession assets” which, she insisted, were the issues of most concern right now.
Two new stamp series
During yesterday’s press conference, Lau announced that her bureau will launch two new stamp series, namely the “Lunar Year of the Dragon” tomorrow and the “150th Anniversary of the Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre” on Saturday.
Lau said the bureau would hold a Stamp Designer Autograph Session of the stamp issue “Lunar Year of the Dragon” tomorrow at the Atrium of the General Post Office (GPO) in Largo do Senado, during which Wilson Chi Ian Lam, the designer of the stamp issue, will be present to sign autographs between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Post and Telecommunications Bureau (CTT) Director Derby Lau Wai Meng presents the newly-launched stamp series “Lunar Year of the Dragon” during a press conference yesterday at the bureau’s headquarters in Largo do Senado. – Photo: CTT
