In Hong Kong, telco services do come cheap

Residential and business users in Hong Kong pay as low as one-tenth of the telecom charges as their counterparts in six other cities.

The study commissioned by the Offfice of the Telecommunications Authority compares the prices of telecom services in Hong Kong with those in Copenhagen, London, New York, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.

According to the Hong Kong Information Services Department, residential and business users in Hong Kong generally pay the lowest charges for telecommunications and certain services. At a monthly charge of $60 for fixed voice service, an average residential user in Hong Kong pays only 8% to 45% of the price a customer in the other six cities pays.

Similarly, at a monthly charge of HK$60 for mobile voice service, an average residential user in Hong Kong pays only 10% to 48% of that of their counterparts in the other cities.

The study also finds that for some businesses in Hong Kong, telecom costs constitute only 12% to 32% of such costs similar businesses in the other cities incur.