According to a recent press, HKT and Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) have established the HKT-ASTRI Smart City Joint Laboratory to pursue advanced technologies and solutions for Smart City.
HKT will provide financial support to the joint laboratory which will leverage ASTRI’s R&D expertise in next-generation communications technologies and sophisticated data solutions.
The Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government stated that the development of a smart city cannot solely rely on the government for a people-centric smart city should be built together with the participation of the private sector and the public.
He noted that only in this way can the region derive smart measures that best suit the needs of the people. The cooperation between HKT and ASTRI today well demonstrates the joint effort of the public and private sectors in utilising technology to improve the life quality of people.
The Group Managing Director of HKT states that in this digital era, HKT has already transformed from a traditional telecom operator to a provider of innovative services and solutions for smarter living and smarter business operations.
The aim is to bring more positive changes to the lives of Hong Kong people and the economy at large through this collaboration, in support of the Government’s Smart City vision.
The Managing Director of HKT Engineering said that HKT is delighted to continue and strengthen its cooperation with ASTRI through the establishment of the joint laboratory, which will leverage the R&D capability of both parties to explore advanced technology and applications for Smart City in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.
Referring to the Government’s Smart City vision, the Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI, said that The Smart City revolution will create enormous opportunities for sustainable economic growth for Hong Kong and this region. The partnership with HKT is fully aligned with the Government’s vision for an innovation-led smart Hong Kong.
The HKT-ASTRI Smart City Joint Laboratory will start with a few initial focus areas on Smart City infrastructure, Smart Mobility (including Electronic Road Pricing and Connected Vehicles) as well as fore-running technologies such as Blockchain, big data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Smart Economy, in which ASTRI’s R&D expertise in next-generation communication technologies, blockchain, video and data analytics, AI and cybersecurity will come into play.
Hong Kong’s Smart City development blueprint is all about addressing urban challenges, strengthening governance, enhancing public services, improving quality of lives, and ensuring safety and sustainability – with the power of innovation and technology. The HKT-ASTRI Smart City Joint Laboratory will pursue sophisticated and market-relevant innovations contributing to that goal.
HKT is Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider and the leading operator in fixed-line, broadband and mobile communication services.
It meets the needs of the Hong Kong public and local and international businesses with a wide range of services including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile, and other telecommunications businesses such as customer premises equipment sales, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centres.
Hong Kong ASTRI’s R&D strategic focus covers five areas of applications: financial technologies, intelligent manufacturing, health technologies, smart city and the Hong Kong branch of the Chinese National Engineering Research Centre (CNERC), forming our five-pillar R&D strategies.
