The Posts and Telecommunications Ministry has granted a Type 1 telecom license to a unit of Cable & Wireless HKT Ltd. to develop its services in the Japanese market with its own infrastructure, the company said Friday.
C&W said in a statement that its subsidiary, Cable & Wireless HKT Pacific (Japan) KK, plans to launch telecom services by the end of the year.
The unit's initial services will include Internet and ATM services, C&W said.
The Japanese unit of Hong Kong's oldest and largest telecom carrier is to focus on rolling out its Internet service in Japan by utilizing its submarine cable networks.
It will provide international telecom services to multinational corporations in Japan and Japanese companies with an international presence.
The unit also plans to build a state-of-the-art gateway facility in Tokyo.
"Our investment and business plan demonstrates our confidence in the Japanese market," said Roger Barlow, director of international product development at C&W.
Barlow added the liberalization of the Japanese telecom market provides enormous business opportunities for C&W to strengthen its position as a leading telecom company in Asia.