HKBN launches 'bbAid' to support emergency broadband needs for Hong Kong
Hong Kong Broadband Network Ltd, a wholly owned subsidy of City Telecom (HK) Limited was one of the first service providers to restore overseas telecommunications service (by 11:42 am, 28th December, 2006). HKBN's rapid restoration was due mainly to the rigorous design of the HKBN network that ensured there are always 30 percent over-provisioning of bandwidth, equivalent to a 1.3 times bandwidth capacity over the average bandwidth utilization for customers. Although the recent disruption has lowered HKBN's bandwidth provisioning, this over-provisioning design has helped minimize the impact to customers. Whilst HKBN customers were able to resume their essential Internet services within two days, the majority of Hong Kong Internet users are still being negatively impacted. To meet the needs of businesses still affected, HKBN has launched ‘bbAid’ to provide an immediate broadband service. bbAid will provide outbound communication services to those with urgent needs, with no contract commitment and installation fee required. See www.ctigroup.com.hk for more details. HKBN’s action is a good example of the use of business continuity as a strategy to gain competitive advantage during a crisis situation. This occurs when ‘first recoverers’ (i.e the companies who are the quickest to return to business as usual following a wide area incident) can provide new services and pick up customers from companies which are slower to recover. First recoverers are likely to be those who have robust business continuity arrangements in place.
•Date: 9th January 2007 • Region: SE Asia •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
|
