The HKSAR Government has outlined four guiding principles for the development of the Northern Metropolis in Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan: "planning-oriented, infrastructure-led, industry-driven and people-oriented". As a new engine for Hong Kong's future development, the Northern Metropolis will require not only traditional infrastructure such as transport, energy and water supply, but also high-speed, stable fibre and mobile communications networks. As network providers, telecommunications operators can take on three key roles in its development: infrastructure builders, technology enablers and ecosystem collaborators, supporting the growth of I&T industries and smart city development.
The Northern Metropolis is set to become a hub for quality living, industry development, culture and leisure, accommodating approximately 2.5 million residents and providing around 650,000 jobs. Telecommunications operators therefore need to take on the role of infrastructure builders from the early stages of development, planning and building extensive networks to support future I&T industries and residents' daily lives. Even during the initial development phase, these networks can support construction site monitoring and safety applications across numerous construction sites, helping development projects progress in an orderly manner and in line with the Government's timetable.
The Northern Metropolis development blueprint comprises four major zones: the High-end Professional Services and Logistics Hub, Innovation and Technology Zone, Boundary Commerce and Industry Zone, and Blue and Green Recreation, Tourism and Conservation Circle. Telecommunications operators can serve as technology enablers in these zones by combining network connectivity with advanced technologies such as AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing and drones to improve efficiency across different industries. Examples include smart campus management at the Northern Metropolis University Town and the deployment of embodied AI robots in newly completed public and private hospitals.
Telecommunications operators can also contribute to the Northern Metropolis as ecosystem collaborators. The Government's Five-Year Plan highlights its commitment to building a global collaborative innovation platform bringing together industry, academia and research sectors. Drawing on their strengths in network infrastructure, technical capabilities and market experience, telecommunications operators can serve as a bridge in the Northern Metropolis. By providing testing platforms, data environments and application scenarios, they can connect research and innovation with industry applications, accelerating the validation and commercialisation of research outcomes and benefiting Hong Kong's wider economic development.
In fact, telecommunications operators have long recognised the significant opportunities presented by the Northern Metropolis. HKT, the group I work for, is a case in point. In recent years, the Group has been actively laying the groundwork for relevant infrastructure in the Northern Metropolis, including plans to roll out its ultra-low-latency 3.2Tbps AI Data Centre Inter-connect Superhighway to connect major data centre clusters across Hong Kong, with future connectivity extending to the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster. The Group has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) to establish a joint research and development laboratory at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop. The collaboration aims to translate local applied research outcomes into commercial solutions and advance Hong Kong's I&T development.
The value of the Northern Metropolis goes beyond accommodating more residents and industries. It also lies in its potential to become a key platform for Hong Kong's high-quality development and smart city ambitions. The role of telecommunications operators has evolved from simply providing network connectivity to building digital infrastructure, driving industry upgrades and connecting research with practical applications. To seize this historic opportunity, Hong Kong must advance digital infrastructure alongside urban planning. I believe the telecommunications industry can play an important role in turning this vision into reality.
Source: 《電訊商肩負三大角色 建設國際創新科技中心》Steve Ng's Editorial on iMoney, 23 October 2026. Translated by 1O1O Corporate Solutions.
