Hong Kong among world's cheapest cities for phone, internet

May 9, 2011, 2:59 GMT

Hong Kong - Hong Kong is one of the world's cheapest cities for phone and internet services while Tokyo and Singapore are among the most expensive, according to a survey released Monday.

The study commissioned by Hong Kong's telecommunications watchdog found the price of telephone landlines are about one-tenth of their price in Tokyo while mobile services are seven times cheaper than in Singapore.

Hong Kong was the cheapest of the seven surveyed cities - which also included Shanghai, New York, London and Copenhagen - for residential landline services, mobile phones and broadband.

The survey found the average monthly price of a landline in Hong Kong was the equivalent of 7.70 US dollars, compared with 17 dollars in Singapore, 29 dollars in New York, 51 dollars in Copenhagen, 51 dollars in London, 60 dollars in Shanghai and 97 dollars in Tokyo.

For mobile phone services, Hong Kong people pay the equivalent of 7.70 US dollars a month, compared with 16.20 dollars in London, 28 dollars in Copenhagen, 52.50 dollars in Shanghai, 54 dollars in New York, 57 dollars in Singapore and 75 dollars in Tokyo.

Fixed broadband services in Hong Kong cost an average 10.30 US dollars a month, compared with 11.70 dollars in Tokyo, 13 dollars in London, 21 dollars in Copenhagen, 25 dollars in New York, 40 dollars in Shanghai and 26 dollars in Singapore.

The report, conducted by the research company Strategy Analytics, concluded that the low prices were attributable to the fact that Hong Kong hosts one of the most competitive telecommunications markets in the world.

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