Hong Kong Telecommunications
Hong Kong is well known for having one of the most advanced and efficient telecommunications systems in the world. Virtually the entire network consists of fiber-optic cabling with digital switching, which means a whole host of advanced telecommunications services are available to local users. Hong Kong was also the first city in the world to offer on-demand television and home-shopping services through telephone lines connected to television screens.
Hong Kong has some of the highest usage of mobile phones per capita in the world. Mobiles are popular even with young children – primarily because they are inexpensive. Since most of the younger generation live with their families in small flats in housing estates, mobiles also represent a form of private communication.
Local telephone calls are free of charge, so it is perfectly acceptable to use the telephones in offices, shops or restaurants to make brief calls. It would be polite to ask first, but many locals will simply walk into a store, use the phone and leave without saying a word to the proprietor. There are public phone booths which charge HK$1 for a five-minute local call. You can also make IDD (international direct dial) calls from most public phone booths. The most convenient way is to purchase stored-value phone cards from HKTB (Hong Kong Tourism Board) Information Centers and most convenience stores and mini marts.
International access codesAT&T 800 96 1111
MCI 800 96 1121
Sprint 800 96 1877
International Area Codes
Hong KongL 852
Macau: 853
Guangzhou: 86-20
In Hong Kong
Directory Assistance: 1081 (in English)
Collect Calls: 10010
overseas IDD: 10013