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Section 1.2 Introduction to the Communications and Information Services (CIS) Branch
What is CIS?
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) defines CIS as covering essential Telecommunication Activities including Wired Telecommunication, Wireless Telecommunication, Satellite Telecommunication, Other Communication and Internet Access Services.
Clearly the major focus of CIS is on "Telecommunication", defined by the Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia as:
"Communication between parties at a distance from one another. Modern telecommunication systems — capable of transmitting telephone, fax, data, radio, or television signals — can transmit large volumes of information over long distances. Digital transmission is employed in order to achieve high reliability with minimal noise, or interference, and because it can transmit any signal type, digital or analogue. …. Transmission may occur over cables, wireless radio relay systems, or via satellite links."
The root of telecommunication can be traced back to human beings' struggle for survival through creativity. While human beings have been inventing and employing physical tools to extend their capabilities and make life easier, the flow of information and the related means of carrying it – communications – have formed the glue, or nervous system, of human society. These communication systems are so important that societies have devoted significant resources to create communications systems aimed at overcoming geographic constraints.
In less than a century, significant advances have been made in the efficiency and effectiveness of telecommunications through the use of Morse Code, telegraph, radio, television, fixed-line telephone, pager, fax, wireless telephone and now email and real time messaging through the Internet.
Telecommunications have evolved from basic human-to-human to human-to-machine, to machine-to-machine. Telecommunication devices such as computers, television, radio and telephone (including mobile phones) are common in many parts of the developed world. There are also many networks that connect these devices, including computer networks, public telephone networks, radio networks and television networks. Computer communications across the Internet are increasingly becoming an important means of communication.
In a broader context, CIS is not just about networks or just providing the means of voice communications, it is also about providing a service to satisfy a customer's desire for relevant technologies such as VoIP (Voice over IP), pay and mobile TV, broadband, mobile broadband, hosting, and multimedia data services.
Importance of Telecommunication
Telecommunication has assumed a fundamental role in economic and administrative activities. It has become an indispensable part of societal infrastructure and an important factor of development in every country. It directly helps the rapid movement of information from one place to another and facilitates the optimal utilisation of available goods, products and services from around the world, facilitating regional and international commerce.
Additionally, telecommunication can contribute to economic development indirectly by facilitating the provision of essential social services such as health and education. Examples include the facilitation of emergency medical assistance, long distance consultation, and quality assurance to remote locations. In developing countries telecommunications services can reduce the cost of providing medical care and increase the availability of remote medical assistance and expertise accessible through remote communications portals. Telecommunication can provide educational assistance to remote locations; modern telecommunications services like voice, data and video services through high bandwidth services can facilitate effective distance learning.
In Hong Kong, for example the telecommunication industry has developed significantly from its foundations to a point where there are two subscriptions (fixed line or mobile) available to every person in Hong Kong. The telecommunication industry continues to drive Hong Kong's economy. Hong Kong's Chief Executive, Mr. Donald Tsang, has aptly pointed out in a complimentary message that:
"Once a relatively expensive service run by monopolies, telecommunication is now an affordable means of communication run by multiple operators for the masses. It has become an indispensable part of our daily life and the very backbone supporting a wide spectrum of personal and business activities on the Internet."
(Hong Kong's Telecommunication Story, CAHK, 2007)
CIS Training and Job Opportunities
From a historical perspective the CIS field is a relative newcomer to the ICT industry. Despite explosive growth over the last few years, opportunities and prospects are still expected to increase. With the proper tuning in related training and education, local graduates will be more readily accepted by employers. Also with the SCS, stakeholders will be able to find their proper standings in the Qualifications Framework.
A number of Hong Kong's tertiary education institutions offer a wide range of courses and training programmes to prepare students for careers in CIS. These include programmes in the areas of Electronics Engineering, Information Engineering, Information and Communications Technology, and Communications Engineering. In general, these programmes aim to provide students with broad-based theory and practical knowledge and skills, equipping them to cope with the continuous and rapid changes in technology.
Hong Kong telecommunication companies work with local educational institutions to offer employment opportunities to suitable graduates. The key skills and competencies identified by the industry include technical knowledge, inter-personal skills, good business sense, and the willingness to meet challenges and changes in a fast paced environment.
Section 1.3 Outlook for CIS in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has established itself as an important business and telecommunications hub in the Asia-Pacific region based on the advanced telecommunication infrastructure built by industry players which facilitates domestic and international communications in voice or data.
In telecommunication, Hong Kong has achieved many "firsts" including being the first city to have a fully digitised fixed telephone network, the first city to introduce interactive TV, and one of the first cities in the world to introduce telephone number portability.
The existing telecommunication infrastructure is a key factor contributing to Hong Kong's advanced IT status. In fact, Hong Kong leads the Asian region in terms of international call time and penetration of telephone lines, mobile phones and fax machines. It also operates Asia's largest commercial satellite-earth station.
Regulatory System
A powerful telecommunication system could not work well without an appropriate regulatory system. In Hong Kong, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) acts as the statutory body for regulating the telecommunications industry and a catalyst for the development of the CIS industry. Its vision is that Hong Kong has the best telecommunications services to meet the challenges of the information age.
OFTA covers the following areas:
a. Regulating public telecommunications services.
b. Enforcing fair competition in the telecommunications sector.
c. Managing the radio frequency spectrum and coordinating satellite orbital positions.
d. Advising the government on telecommunications matters.
e. Enforcing the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance (except those parts related to fraudulent activities).
f. Representing Hong Kong at international forums including those organized by the ITU.
The Fixed-line Market
Hong Kong's local fixed-line service has one of the highest densities in the world. As of May 2011 (OFTA), there were
(a) 17 licensed operators providing local fixed carrier services.
(b) 41 licensees for cable-based external fixed telecom network service facilities.
(c) 312 external telecom services licensees in Hong Kong.
Mobile Service Market
With 13.02 million subscribers (July 2010) Hong Kong has one of the highest mobile service penetration rates in the world. There are 14 mobile service networks, four operating at 800/900 MHz, six at 1700-1900 MHz and four at 2100 MHz UMTS band.
Other than voice services, mobile operators have opened up business opportunities for the ICT industry to develop and provide more products and supporting services to clients including data services like short messaging, mobile Internet services, music download, multimedia services, video call and mobile TV.
With the launch of 3.5G service utilising High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technology, mobile broadband is available from the four 3G operators, while some are implementing the latest High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) technology.
In early 2009 three Broadband Wireless Access Licenses (4G), using the 2555-2570MHz and 2575-2960MHz spectrum, were awarded by OFTA. All three are expected to deploy LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology.
Internet Market
In order to facilitate public access to the Internet, the Hong Kong government earmarked HK$217.6 million in 2007 (OGCIO) to provide free wireless Internet access to the public at designated government premises. Free WiFi access is now provided in all public libraries, major cultural and recreational centres, community halls, large parks, and government offices visited frequently by the public.
Hong Kong is a world leader in deploying Fibre-To-The-Building (FTTB) and Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH). Hong Kong's broadband connections have grown steadily in the last five years and the broadband service of one local carrier has one of the highest penetration rates in the world. As at mid-2010 it had reached 81% of Hong Kong households using a mix of Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), FTTB / FTTH and Hybrid Fibre Co-axial. The high broadband penetration rate and high bandwidth broadband service provided a suitable platform for the launch of IPTV service and as of 2010 there were almost 1.2 million subscribers using IPTV service.
The figures below summarize developments in CIS in recent years (OFTA, 2010):
Overall Summary of the CIS Market
In summary, as of 2010 there were 4.26 million telephone lines and 262,000 fax lines in Hong Kong. The mobile phone penetration rate is 187.9% (104% in 2003). There were 7,085 million minutes of outgoing international telecommunication traffic in 2010. (A decrease of 8.7% compared with 2009's 7,759 million minutes).
Registered broadband Internet access customer accounts reached 2.1 million in 2010, a 4.2% increase from 2009 to 2010. Broadband growth is expected to continue in the next five years at an annual growth rate of 8.7%, reaching 3.4 million connections by the end of 2012.
Related Developments
Hong Kong is a world leader in terms of mobile service penetration. Broadband penetration of 87% ranked Hong Kong 4th globally for bandwidth >2Mbps as at 1st quarter 2008. For high bandwidth (>5Mbps), Hong Kong ranks 3rd with 46% penetration behind South Korea (74%) and Japan (60%) as at 3rd quarter 2009.
Table 1.1 - Broadband Penetration (> 5Mbps) for Various Economies
| Country |
% >5Mbps |
Apr 08 to Mar 09 Change |
| - |
Global |
19% |
1.5% |
| 1 |
South Korea |
74% |
28% |
| 2 |
Japan |
60% |
10% |
| 3 |
Hong Kong |
46% |
7.4% |
| 4 |
Romania |
42% |
13% |
| 5 |
Sweden |
39% |
3.0% |
| 6 |
Ireland |
35% |
41% |
| 7 |
Netherlands |
33% |
23% |
| 8 |
Switzerland |
31% |
7.6% |
| 9 |
Denmark |
30% |
76% |
| 10 |
Czech Republic |
25% |
4.3% |
| --- |
---- |
--- |
--- |
| 12 |
United States |
24% |
-8.8% |
3rd Quarter 2009 The state of Internet (Akamei)
As Singapore bears many similarities to Hong Kong, it is commonly used for comparison with Hong Kong in many areas. The telecom industry is no exception. Singapore was among the first countries to have all digital networks. Similar to Hong Kong's Digital 21 Strategy, Singapore's iN2015 lays out its 10 years vision and commitment to transform the country into a "digital world". At present Singapore's mobile penetration rate lags behind Hong Kong: 143.6% (Dec 2010, Singapore IDA) compared to Hong Kong's 187.9% (Nov 2010, OFTA). Singapore's fixed-line penetration rate is 102.9% (Dec 2010, IDA) and has been relatively stagnant for several months. Broadband penetration is 190.8% and is still growing but this figure includes wireless broadband (over 6.51 million) at the lower 512 Kbps speed. Singapore was one of the first countries to deploy free government WiFi services (wireless@sg), with over 5,000 hotspots in 2007.
Major Outlook
Despite its significant progress Hong Kong must continue to embrace new and advanced technologies and offer innovative services to stay competitive and maintain its commitment to being the region's business hub. Like many countries Hong Kong operators have rolled out a Next Generation Network (NGN) infrastructure using IP network technology and services.
To provide this major leap in bandwidth capacity, it is necessary to take optical fibre much closer to the customer than today's telephone exchanges. A total NGN will only be completed when every major building has fibre connected equipment from at least one network supplier. In December 2002, a fixed network operator launched the first NGN in Hong Kong while one network service provider was the first carrier in the world to deploy its NGN solution with live traffic internationally.
The face of telecommunications is changing as services and networks are integrated through the increasing use of IP-based technology and NGN. Thus the term "convergence" is now widely used to describe those recent developments in the CIS branch.
The term "convergence" was used by John Scully, CEO of Apple Computer, in his 1991 presentation at Harvard University, which refers to the integration of the communications, computer and broadcast industries. In Hong Kong, convergence is taking place on a number of fronts. Among service providers there is an increasing focus on content, both text and video, and applications.
As a result, partnerships have, and will continue to be, forged between telecommunications service providers and content providers like the entertainment, movie, TV industries, and other application providers. Given the huge potential for future growth driven by multimedia content, there has been a trend among some suppliers to create their own content for use over multiple platforms.
In the near future convergence and new technology such as WiMAX, 4G, IPv6, and carrier Ethernet will play a significant role in the shaping of Hong Kong's telecommunications industry. Whether or not the government's licensing policy will evolve to accommodate these developments will have important implications for the industry. An example of such evolvements in other parts of the world is the introduction of a unified carrier license, essentially a single licensing vehicle for fixed, mobile and/or converged services, blurring the distinction between fixed and mobile networks and services referred to as "Fixed-Mobile Convergence" (FMC).
Thus, the general outlook is that while the traditional fixed markets are facing slower or stagnant growth, the active contents/application development and the need for more efficient Internet services will drive the demand for constantly improving telecommunications services in the coming years.
Section 1.4 Prospects for CIS in Mainland China
The telecommunications industry is one of the Mainland's core industries, experiencing double-digit growth over the past decade. The convergence of broadband telecom networks, digital TV networks, and the Internet combined with the deployment of 3G licenses in the Mainland, is creating tremendous opportunities for both domestic and foreign players in the telecom services industry. The hosting of the 2010 Asia Games in Guangzhou and the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai have also created new opportunities and boosted the local ICT services.
The Chinese Ministry of Information Industry (MII) released figures for the first nine months of 2010 revealing accumulated industry revenue of RMB 708.19 billion, a 6.7% increase over the same period in 2009.
Between 2004-2005 Mainland China's fixed-line and mobile operators have invested an average of US$25 billion on network infrastructure, more than all western European carriers combined. As a result, the Mainland now owns the world's largest fixed-line and mobile networks both in terms of network capacity and the number of subscribers. This is significantly different to the picture we saw only few years ago when only one in ten Chinese citizens had a phone.
The Fixed-line Market in Mainland China
According to the October 2007 figures released by the MII, there were about 372 million fixed line subscribers, a penetration rate of 28%. By September 2010 fixed line subscribers were down to 301.27 million as mobile penetration increased.
The Mobile Services Market in Mainland China
According to the October 2007 figures released by the MII, mobile phone subscribers exceeded 515 million and by September 2010 there were 833.33 million subscribers.
In 2008, mobile services in the Mainland were based mainly on GSM, CDMA and PAS/PHS, a combination of mobile and fixed line technology known as "Xiaolingtong". 3G services CDMA2000 and W-CDMA are offered but are not widely available. However, the home grown 3G technology (TD-SCDMA) is spreading throughout the Mainland now that 3G services are well established. As at the end of October 2010 there were 38.64 million 3G users (from 0 in mid-2008), 49.3% of which were TD-SCDMA.
The Mainland also built the majority of its citizen's mobile handsets. Eighteen Chinese mobile phone manufacturers produced about 360 million mobile phones in 2007. The MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology) reported 792 million handsets had been produced in the first ten months of 2010, an increase of 35% over same period in 2009.
One of the main factors for the success of the mobile sector in the Mainland is the restructuring of the telecom industry from a public monopoly to state owned companies China Telecom, China Netcom, China Mobile, China Unicom, China Satcom and China Railcom. In mid-2008 a further reshuffle was made to accommodate 3G technology. The six telecom operators were consolidated into three (China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom) and all three were given 3G licenses.
The Internet Market in Mainland China
According to BDA China (formerly BD Associates), a Beijing-based technology consulting and research firm, as of the end of 2007 the Mainland's Internet market generated approximately RMB30 billion revenue, around 9% of the country's total telecom revenue. In 2010 the Mainland had over 420 million Internet subscribers - despite having a penetration rate of only 31.6% - and has overtaken the United States as the world's number one, a spot the USA has occupied since the birth of the Internet.
As of 2008, the Mainland's broadband subscribers are using various technologies like cable modem, DSL, FTTH, BPL (Broadband over Power Line) and wireless access. The number of subscribers surpassed Japan in 2004 as the market with second most broadband lines after the US. The Mainland will inevitably surpass the US and become the world's largest broadband market. The Mainland already has the most DSL subscribers worldwide: as of October 2010 there were 121.14 million broadband subscribers (MIIT 2010).
The following charts illustrate the Mainland's explosive growth in Internet use:
WTO Impact
As part of its WTO commitment, the Chinese government is gradually opening the carrier market to foreign investors. Since 2005, foreign investors have been allowed to form Joint Ventures, investing up to 50% in Internet services, up to 49% in the mobile sector, and up to 25% in fixed-line basic services. However, investment is limited to certain geographical areas such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Following WTO accession, the Mainland has accelerated the establishment of a legal framework for the telecom industry. This framework includes adopting a western-style Telecommunication Law and setting up an independent regulatory and arbitration body to deal with telecom operators.
Major Outlook in Mainland China
Whilst the Mainland has experienced significant growth in the telecommunications sector in the past decade, it has not been without problems and difficulties for operators, reflected in the penetration rates of fixed-line and broadband subscription. As the number of mobile users increases, the number of fixed-line users decreases due to convenience and the lower costs of mobile services. The Mainland's market has transited from a period of explosive growth to a period of mature growth: the growth rate for Internet users peaked in 1999 (350%), in 2000 for mobile users (90%) and in 2001 for fixed-line subscribers (30%). The 2004 growth figures for each sector were 40%, 20% and 10% respectively. However as many people in the Mainland live in remote areas and do not earn a high income, recruiting new customers will be increasingly difficult. However the converging WiMAX technology (currently many standards) and its integration with 3G, 3.5G or 4G may increase cost effectiveness and make it more reachable.
Traditionally, Chinese telecom operators have focused on voice services. As a result revenue from data services has provided less than 10% of revenues. New technologies are being deployed to provide a range of new services. The new technologies include ADSL, WLAN, and IP telephony while the new services include SMS / MMS, ringtones, and downloads. Without strong know-how in developing new services, the Mainland's telecom operators have been cautious in investing in cutting edge technologies. Like their counter parts around the world, they need to be more diversified in their business.
The CEPA was conceived in June 2003 to foster closer ties between selected industries in Hong Kong and the Mainland. In November 2004 CEPA II added the ICT / CIS services to the list of industries to have preferential treatment for the Mainland market. The number of companies having to deploy / recruit local IT employees to work in the Mainland is expected to increase significantly with new business opportunities offered by the recent market liberalisation and trade facilitation measures under the signing of supplement VII to CEPA II in May 2010.
Section 1.5 Worldwide Trends in CIS
Global telecom services revenue reached US$1.5 trillion in 2006, representing a 7.4% increase on 2005, and a slight slowing of growth (which was 8.8% between 2004 and 2005)
Over the forecast period to the end of 2011, growth is projected to slow to a five-year compound annual growth rate of 4.2% and revenue is expected to increase by US$347 billion to reach almost US$1.9 trillion.
The forecast slowing of the revenue is a result of the declining value of the fixed services market in a number of countries, increasing saturation in some mobile and Internet markets, and pressure on prices across all sectors.
Fixed-line, Mobile and Internet Market Dynamics
An increasing percentage of the world's telecom revenue will be generated by mobile and Internet services and mobile has been playing an increasingly significant role, in terms of revenue, compared to the fixed-line market. It is also projected that future increases in the number of subscribers will be driven by new broadband and mobile connections.
The Internet and Broadband Markets
The Internet and Broadband Markets
As growth in traditional voice services slows, more telecommunication companies are focussing on the data service market as a source of revenue. Broadband (fixed and mobile based) is likely to be the fastest growing telecom sector, with a forecast global compound annual growth rate of 14% over the next five years. The bulk of the broadband percentage growth will come from low broadband penetration regions such as the Middle East and Africa (MEA), Latin America and Eastern Europe.
When analysing the global telecom market on a regional basis, Asia is the largest region by far. In 2008 it had 45.6%, 38.4%, 40.4% and 37.1% of the world's fixed, mobile, Internet and broadband subscribers respectively. MEA is expected to be the fastest growing region in all sectors, apart from the Internet, with forecasted compounded annual growth rates against the 2008 base of 4.7%, 18.7%, 13.8% and 34.0% in the fixed, mobile, Internet and broadband sectors respectively.
Regional Internet usage as at June 2010 is summarized in the following figures (Source: Internet World Stats)
The European Telecommunication Market
The European telecom market is relatively mature, with advanced telecommunication networks. The market is still growing overall, despite slowing in certain countries. It is also a prime testing ground for new emerging technologies. As fixed-voice traffic and revenue continue to fall, the focus has gradually shifted to data-rich applications such as mobile TV and HSDPA, which in turn have placed competitive pressure on the business models of developing WiMAX networks across the EU. Continuing progress is being made on NGN and moving infrastructure to an IP packet-based network.
Internet World Stats reports show that Europe's mobile market continues to grow despite market saturation - by mid-2007, about 22 of the region's markets had exceeded 100% penetration. In 2008, the proportion of data revenue to total revenue steadily increased. Data revenue continues to grow while operators have successfully focussed on migrating subscribers to 3G, at the same time GSM growth has been flat, though until flat-rate data plans become common the expensive 3G services will remain under-used.
Broadband growth in Europe has been substantial during the last decade. For example, the region overtook North America in 2005 to become the second largest broadband market after Asia. By mid-2005 there were about 47 million broadband subscribers in Europe. This growth – 72% over 2004 and 236% over 2002 – has been driven by intensifying competition and by regulatory measures improving competitor access to local loops. At end 2007, 42% of homes in the EU had broadband connection.
As of June 2010 the number of Internet users in Europe was 475 million, about 24.2% of world Internet users a penetration rate of about 58.4%, compared with about 24.7% for the rest of the world (June 2010 Internet World Stats)
Major Outlook
The telecommunications industry worldwide is in a state of continuing flux and increasing competition. The advent of Voice over IP (VoIP) and other technologies such as Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is disrupting the traditional structure of the industry. To meet the competitive challenge, service providers are seeking new and better ways to differentiate themselves from the competition to gain share in the rapidly expanding market for advanced products and services.
A robust service delivery platform is a critical enabler that allows service providers the ability to deliver thousands of disparate services over their IP networks. The market for products that support the IP Multimedia Services (IMS) – the deployment environment for fully converged voice, data and multimedia services within the core IP network – is expected to continue growing in the coming years.
Telecom service providers have found it necessary to invest heavily in IP technologies to implement NGN, aiming to position themselves to provide new services and respond to stronger demands for innovation. Service providers need to offer new, differentiated services to remain competitive.
The heavy investments in implementing NGN are targeted at improving medium-term revenue growth and gaining market share for the future, rather than boosting profits in the near term. Established operators are engaged in a new struggle for survival, under extreme pressure to prevent loss of market share to recent entrants and are being forced to find innovative ways to generate revenue and to differentiate their offerings. This is a key driver of the investment in NGN technology.
Section 1.6 CIS: Future Prospects and Manpower Needs
Hong Kong's ICT industry grew dramatically throughout the 1990s with employment more than doubling from 30,703 in 1992 to 73,378 in May 2010 (VTC Manpower Survey, 2010). Given the increasing complexity of technology, the buoyant job market may be favourable for most of the CIS industry practitioners as well.
However, employment growth might be offset a bit due to increased productivity and offshore outsourcing of some job functions to countries with lower wage and other costs. It is expected that the percentage distribution of employees engaged in the IT and communications services organisations will continue to grow steadily over the next few years ahead despite the fact that more routine application development and maintenance work will likely be automated and outsourced. The strategic core of essential maintenance, operation and business services work will all still be done locally.
Regarding the future prospects of Hong Kong's CIS branch, many businesses in the industry are aware that limited revenue can be derived from selling traditional line services. A significant number of operators are now placing more emphasis on providing consumer data services such as Mobile TV, mobile news and data services and digital media customer services.
The Hong Kong telecommunications market and its regulatory environment mean that while overall revenue figures look attractively high, the average return on investment for CIS is only a few percentage points. This level of return is not attractive to investors. The business outlook may be improved by providing appropriate funding in information and high technology projects and deregulation to facilitate Hong Kong to become a regional information hub.
Manpower Supply
During the visits to CIS employers in preparation for this Specification of Competency Standards, many of them are concerned that Hong Kong may not have enough qualified employees to replace natural wastage and support for future growth. The CIS branch has experienced a shortage of qualified fresh graduates in IT and computer science disciplines prompted by the ending of Dot Com era, the economic downturn in the ICT in the last few years and competition from other industries. As it takes several years to educate and train people for CIS employment industry needs must be anticipated sufficiently far in advance to allow time for appropriate training.
Hong Kong's main economic focus in business and financial services means that the territory may place less emphasis in systems and engineering development. At the same time, Hong Kong internship programmes have still to be reinforced although a number of Hong Kong employers have their own training programmes for employees, especially fresh graduates.
The general opinion of the visited CIS employers is that new graduates are deficient in a number of key areas. Language skills (Chinese and foreign languages), soft skills, and general knowledge all require further improvement.
Factors Affecting CIS Employment
A range of factors that may impact future CIS employment have been identified as follows:
a. Hong Kong's competitive advantages in developing as a regional information hub with a stable and secure electricity supply, high quality services, international connectivity, innovative application of CIS solutions to business systems and a state-of-the-art CIS infrastructure.
b. The emerging development of wireless communications technologies and the increasing trend of using wireless technologies for knowledge sharing suggest that there will be increases in manpower demand for developing and marketing wireless networks and services.
c. Both government and private enterprises are developing wireless broadband connectivity in various areas of Hong Kong, which may lead to an increase in manpower demand in the CIS branch.
d. The local market for voice communication network services is already saturated. However, the growing demand for online digital entertainment media and multimedia content-driven developments may increase demand for CIS services, such as infrastructure development.
e. The international exposure, adaptability, language and project management skills of in-service personnel will enable Hong Kong to provide continuous support in telecommunication services.
Outlook
In summary, employment opportunities in CIS still exist and these can accommodate graduates with interest in this branch, particularly in the network implementation sector where new blood is needed to replace the retiring generation of implementers. The CIS employment market is likely to rebound with organisations having higher budgets for IT spending and aiming to regain a competitive edge. While employers would do well to cater more for employees' concerns like job satisfaction, career development and training, employees must be ready to accept and adapt to the challenges ahead as telecom operators strive to continuously deploying new technologies, like NGN and strive for convergence of services.
(1) This document generally adopts "ICT" as the term to refer to all methods, technologies and applications that involve information processing, transmission and/or exchange over communication networks, including the Internet. The term "IT" (Information Technology) is used interchangeably with ICT given its widespread use by the industry.
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