WTIA and HKPC Co-organize the 1st Hong Kong Wireless Technology Excellence Awards

To promote the development of wireless technology and applications among local companies, the Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA) and the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today (14 April 2005) jointly announced the launch of the 1st Hong Kong Wireless Technology Excellence Awards (HKWTEA).

Sponsored by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), PCCW Limited, ESRI Hong Kong Limited and Nokia (Hong Kong) Limited, the HKWTEA is a joint initiative of the WTIA and HKPC to enhance the competitiveness of the local wireless technology sectors and to promote a wider adoption of wireless technology and applications by the local community.

According to Mr John Chiu, Chairman of WTIA, wireless enterprise solutions, mobile multimedia and 3G applications are fast gaining recognition in importance and market potential. "The Awards will provide local practitioners with the opportunity to gain industry recognition for outstanding mobile and wireless applications developed or adopted by them," he said.

"As a leading information technology hub and digital city of the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong is renowned for its innovative IT products and applications. The same scenario also applies in our wireless technology applications. With over 100% mobile penetration rate and over 1.3 million 2.5G / 3G service subscribers, the utilization of mobile data has increased significantly in recent months. By recognizing the outstanding achievements of local professionals in these areas, Hong Kong is well positioned to market its strong capabilities in wireless technology applications to the rest of the world."

Speaking on the business potential of the wireless market in the Mainland, Mr Edmund Sung, Acting Executive Director of HKPC, said, "With over 340 million subscribers by February 2005, the Mainland has indeed become the largest mobile phone market in the world with an average increase of 5 million users per month. According to industry players, the expected launch of 3G services on the Mainland by 2006/07 is likely to open up a wealth of opportunities for Hong Kong's wireless technology sector. The Awards will no doubt help promote the professional excellence of the local industry, facilitating its business expansion into the Mainland."

The award scheme consists of four categories: Wireless Enterprise Application, Mobile Infotainment, Mobile Game and 3G Application. Judged according to originality and innovation, functionality and design, market performance, competitiveness and effectiveness, as well as technical excellence, only products that have not been released before 1 June 2003, and companies registered in Hong Kong are eligible for entry. The closing date for application is 27 May 2005, and the winning entries will be honoured at an award presentation ceremony in September 2005.

Other officiating guests at the launch ceremony included Mr Stephen Mak, Deputy Government Chief Information Officer, OGCIO, and the Hon. Sin Chung Kai, Legislative Councillor (Information Technology).

The work of the WTIA is further enhanced by the formation of strategic partnerships with industry players from overseas countries. Concurrent to today's launch ceremony, the WTIA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Institute of Information Technology Assessment (South Korea) and the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (Australia) to reinforce business matching and technology transfer. Earlier, WTIA signed similar cooperative agreements with counterpart organizations in Australia, Canada, Israel, South Korea, and the UK.

At the International ICT Expo 2005, being held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 14-17 April 2005, a "Mobile & Wireless Avenue" has been set up by WTIA to demonstrate the latest 3G applications, mobile entertainment, wireless enterprise solutions and wireless technology from 18 local companies to visitors from different parts of the world. This international platform is expected to bring more business opportunities for the local industry.

About the Hong Kong Wireless Technology Excellence Awards (HKWTEA), please visit the official website, www.hkwtia.org/hkwtea.

About HKPC
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a multi-disciplinary organization established by Statute in 1967. Its mission is to promote productivity excellence through the provision of integrated support across the value chain to innovative and growth oriented Hong Kong firms, in order to achieve a more effective utilization of resources, to enhance the value added content of products and services, and to increase international competitiveness. For more information, please visit the HKPC website at https://www.hkpc.org

About WTIA
Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA), a not-for-profit corporation registered in Hong Kong, was established in 2001. Its objectives are to represent and safeguard the interests and opinions of the wireless technology to the Government and other international parties; promote the development, usage and awareness of wireless technology applications in Hong Kong; enhance communication and partnership between different types of companies in the wireless technology industry; advance the professional standards of software and hardware development in wireless technology application. Currently, WTIA has over 100 local and overseas company members, including mobile network operators, mobile device manufacturers, hardware / software vendors, system integrators; wireless application developers, mobile content providers, etc. For more information, please visit WTIA official website at http://www.hkwtia.org

For media enquiries, please contact:
HKPC
Ms Betty Lee
General Manager
Corporate Communications and Events
Tel: (852) 2788 5895
Fax: (852) 2788 5056
E-mail: justina@hkpc.org

WTIA
Ms Mickey Chou
AQ Communications Limited
Tel: (852) 3105 2057
E-mail: mchou@aqcomm.com

14 April 2005