Hong Kong - CWHKT, Guangdong PTA Announce Internet Pact.

Cable & Wireless HKT (CWHKT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Guangdong Posts and Telecommunications Authority (GPTA) to boost cross-border Internet and e-commerce traffic. Guangdong PTA is the provincial telecommunications provider in Guangdong province, the area that borders Hong Kong in southern China and a region where Internet use is generally ahead of that of the rest of China. CWHKT is the largest telecom carrier in Hong Kong and was known, until recently, as Hongkong Telecom. The MoU calls on the two to work together to expand cross-border Internet links, promote e-commerce and make CWHKT a registration authority for GPTA, establish a marketing alliance between the two operator_s Web portals, develop a cross-border IP virtual private network and dial-up roaming service and increase Internet technology exchange. CWHKT said an Internet backbone link between Hong Kong and Guangdong was expanded during August to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) from 2Mbps. The carrier said the increase was intended to support massive growth in Internet traffic.