HKBN awarded MVNO license

1 min readUpdated May 26, 2025Jul 20, 20167:09 AM

In this article (4)

Hong Kong ISP HKBN has secured a license from telecoms regulator OFCA to offer MVNO services in the market.

OFCA has granted HKBN an expanded services-based operator license to allow the company to offer mobile services using the infrastructure of established mobile network operators.

The company has signed an agreement with China Mobile Hong Kong, and is in discussions with two other mobile operators, with the goal of launching mobile services for both residential and corporate customers.

HKBN said it expects to soft-launch mobile services in as early as August this year to complement its existing fixed line services.

With the addition of MVNO services the company will be able to introduce quad-play offers combining broadband, fixed line telephone, OTT entertainment and mobile services in the same package.

“This is a strong move to maximize shareholder value by offering a full suite of fixed and mobile services, leveraging our quickly expanding broadband customer base of over 800,000 households,” HKBN CEO and co-owner William Yeung said.

“Replicating our success in the fixed broadband market,our mobile service will come with strong value propositions, aiming to delight customers with the best customer experience at highly competitive prices.”

HKBN recently announced that the majority of the company’s supervisory and management-level employees have now invested in the company under its co-ownership program.

AdvertisementAdvertise with usMobile 320×100

What this means

HKBN's MVNO launch is a strong offensive play, positioning them to pressure existing Hong Kong mobile operators like China Mobile Hong Kong by using their considerable residential and corporate customer base. This follows a regional trend of ISPs expanding services, contrasting with the targeted, store-based expansions seen by brands like Dairy Queen in Hong Kong. The co-ownership model suggests high internal commitment to making this work, offering competitive prices to attract customers. The primary risk lies in achieving smooth integration and delivering a superior customer experience given their reliance on another operator’s infrastructure. Competitors must now consider their own bundling strategies. We expect to see their full pricing strategy emerge after their soft-launch.

Sarah Chen · Retail News Asia newsroom

Questions & Answers

Which specific type of license has OFCA granted to HKBN?

OFCA has granted HKBN an expanded services-based operator license. This allows the company to offer mobile services by using the infrastructure of existing mobile network operators in the market.

With which mobile network operator has HKBN already secured an agreement?

HKBN has already signed an agreement with China Mobile Hong Kong. The company is also currently in discussions with two other mobile operators to further expand its network access.

What type of combined service packages does HKBN plan to offer with the new MVNO services?

HKBN plans to introduce 'quad-play' offers, combining broadband, fixed line telephone, OTT entertainment, and mobile services into single packages. This strategy uses their existing service portfolio.

Reader pulse

Will HKBN's MVNO strategy succeed?

17,693 votes so far