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A Special International Report Prepared by
The Washington Times Advertising Department - Published on October 25, 1999
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Advertisers
(1) Macau Trade & Investment Promotion Institute
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In 1981, recognizing the primary importance of efficient and reliable telecommunications in the development of Macau's prosperity, the Macau Government concluded an agreement with global telecom leader, Cable & Wireless. In the 1980s, selected shareholders were brought into the CTM family and the structure is now Cable & Wireless (51%), Portugal Telecom International (28%), the Chinese investment group ( CITIC) (20%), and the Government of Macau 1%. "CTM has kept Macau at the leading edge of telecommunications technology and services and will continue to do so," added CTM chief executive officer, John Lindfield. He is understandably proud that in 1991, Macau became the first Asian territory to have a fully digital network. CTM operates a high quality GSM digital mobile service with automatic roaming to over 70 countries including China. Extensive value added service are available on the mobile network, including caller line identification, short message services and data. CTM is in the process of building an additional GSM 1800 (PCS) network which will provide dual band access later this month and a separate 1800 service next year.
CTM's latest investment in fiber optics is part of an undersea cable system called SEA-ME-WE3. It joins over 31 countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Western Europe, with a combined population of about 3 billion. Macau's link thorough this cable network covers more than half the world's population. "All this serves to make Macau a truly internationally linked global city, and allows us to offer broadband services which will be an important aspect of international communications in the future," exclaimed Lindfield. Several customers have utilized this efficient telecommunication infrastructure to set up regional Call Centers, taking advantage of Macau's location near China and Hong Kong and its low labor and office costs. CTM works with the Government to promote Macau as a center for offshore and back office services. CTM also offers an efficient and reliable internet service with world wide access and connections to the Internet in Guangdong province in China. CTM's internet is just one of the ways in which there is excellent cooperation with mainland China, which bodes well for CTM and Macau after the handover to China. Not long ago, CTM announced a project known as I.campus to enhance Information Technology education in the high schools of Macau. CTM is providing equipment, internet access and expert support, free of charge to the schools of Macau to encourage them to develop a broad knowledge of IT and the Internet. "Yes, we are committed to the territory and its best interests, and we believe in preparing the youth of today for tomorrow's challenges and opportunities through the Internet and other telecommunication tools," states Lindfield. CTM's hopes to continue expansion of the Macau market to get more and more people connected to this new age of telecommunications. |
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(1) Betting on the future with China |
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Less than 20 years ago, Macau managed with only 15,000 telephone lines in the territory. Today it boasts over 175,000 fixed lines and over 110,000 mobile telephones, with expansion taking place each day. Today, Macau can contact any country in the world via satellite. Make no mistake about it: Macau, a tiny enclave, is now part of the global village.
"Macau has two satellite earth stations connected to the world through Intelsat satellite and high capacity fibre optic links to mainland China through Zhuhai with advanced synchronous Digital Hierarchy transmission and also to Hong Kong," Lindfield added.