Hong Kong relaxes mmWave rollout requirements

Hong Kong’s Communications Authority (CA) has pushed back deployment deadlines for operators holding millimetre wave (mmWave) 5G spectrum. HKT, China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK) and SmarTone were each awarded 400MHz of spectrum in the 26GHz and 28GHz bands in March 2019, with the stipulation that they should install a minimum of 2,500 radio units in each band by end-2024. The regulator has now relaxed the rollout requirements, giving licensees until April 2024 to deploy at least 20% of the minimum requirement and April 2025 to install a further 30% of the total, with the remaining 50% to be deployed during 2026. Operators requested an extension of the deadline due to the later-than-expected availability of compatible handsets and network equipment.