Telecom operator CTM said that network usage has increased by 30 percent in the past two weeks compared with the peak of ordinary days as the government urges people to stay at home, work at home and learn at home, as part of its effort to tackle the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) epidemic.
In a statement yesterday, CTM said that it had increased its network resources before the Chinese New Year holiday, including expansion of its broadband network and overseas bandwidth to cater for a sudden rise in demand and ensure normal operation of its network.
The statement added that to cope with the increased network usage from different sectors in line with the government’s call for NCP prevention, the company has installed free Wi-Fi hotspots at all border checkpoints, enabling inbound residents and tourists to complete their online health declaration forms, reinforced monitoring of the telecom services at hospitals,quarantine facilities, terminals, the airport, and also provided mobile handsets in local hospitals to facilitate communication between patients and families through video calls.
The statement pointed out that the company has extended customers’ January bill payment for one month, and telecom services will not be suspended due to overdue payment. It has also adjusted operating hours of all CTM shops, and encouraged customers to use mobile applications or its online portal for service applications or payments.
