HONG KONG, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On the afternoon of 8 May, China Telecom launched direct-to-phone satellite connectivity in Hong Kong. With the theme of "Mobile Always Online, Never Lost Contact", the launch officially announced that relying on the capability of Tiantong-1 satellite system, China Telecom will provide direct-to-phone satellite connectivity service to users in Hong Kong. China Telecom will take Hong Kong as the first station to start the internationalised overseas operation service of Tiantong satellite. This is a breakthrough milestone for China's satellite communication industry in the internationalisation process.

Guests from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Hong Kong SAR Government, Hong Kong telecom operators, as well as industry chain partners from various countries and regions worldwide attended the launch and witnessed this important historic moment together. Mr. Chen Lidong, Director of Emergency Communications Center, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the PRC, Mr. Yu Xiao, Vice Chairman & President of The Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association, and Mr. Tang Ke, Executive Vice President of China Telecom Corporation Limited, attended the launch and delivered speeches.

Mr. Chen Lidong 's speech fully affirmed the achievements of China Telecom in recent years in firmly implementing the 'Belt and Road' initiative, deepening international cooperation along the 'Belt and Road', and promoting high-quality infrastructure interconnection. He expressed that the direct-to-phone satellite connectivity can be widely applied and popularised to better benefit the people of Hong Kong.

Mr. Yu Xiao, stated in his speech that Hong Kong, as an important node of the 'Belt and Road', can play its advantages and connect the world with information under the unwavering support of the country. The direct-to-phone satellite connectivity will bring better and more convenient communication services to Hong Kong users. In the future, The Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association will further strengthen cooperation with China Telecom and actively promote the development of Hong Kong's digital economy.

Mr. Tang Ke, Executive Vice President of China Telecom Corporation Limited, pointed out in his speech that in recent years, China Telecom has been deeply ploughing cloud-network integration, accelerating intelligent computing upgrades, promoting the interconnection of smart networks, and laying out the space-earth integration, and has been actively providing all the important achievements and mature products to the world, creating new value for the high-quality development of the global economy and society. In the future, China Telecom is committed to collaborating with both domestic and international partners to support the 'Belt and Road' initiative and promote the high-quality development of the aerospace information industry.

At the meeting, Mr. Yang Lingcai, President of China Telecom Corporation Limited Satellite Communications Branch, introduced the construction and operation of the Tiantong-1 satellite system, and the remarkable journey of adhering to the innovation leadership and the world's first direct-to-phone satellite connectivity business in the past years, as well as the latest progress in promoting the transformation of scientific and technological innovation results and continuously expanding the "Tiantong-S+" products. This release will allow Hong Kong users to enjoy the integrated satellite communication service without changing SIM cards or numbers, and fully meet users' needs in satellite mobile communications. At the same time, he also emphasised that China Telecom will adhere to the concept of open cooperation and win-win development, taking Hong Kong as a new starting point to promote Tiantong's overseas operation in Hong Kong and Macao as well as in Southeast Asia, South Asia and other "Belt and Road" countries.

Mr. Yin Jin, CEO of China Telecom Global Limited, indicated that China Telecom's linkage between Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao demonstrates the strength of the space-earth integration. From now on, they will not only provide terrestrial communication capability for Hong Kong and Macao users, but also provide maritime communication and emergency communication capability through direct-to-phone satellite connectivity. They aim to ensure comprehensive coverage of communication services for Hong Kong residents and travelers commuting between Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macao, offering excellent products, functionalities, and services.

This launch not only demonstrated China Telecom's technical strength and international vision in the field of satellite communications, but also provided new ideas and directions for the development of global communications technology, signaling that China Telecom will play a more important role in promoting the integrated development of space and ground and empowering the construction of the "Air Silk Road". China Telecom will take Hong Kong as a new starting point and join hands with its partners to jointly promote the internationalisation and large-scale development of Tiantong's satellite mobile communication services.