The Hong Kong Standard says telecom regulators there have granted new 12-year licenses to three broadcast firms to construct and operate a DAB+ multiplex network designed to serve the territories of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Initial plans call for a population of 13 channels on a new Band III multiplex, which will represent almost a billion dollars of combined capital investment by the operators during the first six years of operation.

Among the new licensees are Digital Broadcasting (seven channels), Metro Broadcast Corp. (three channels), and Phoenix U Radio Ltd. (three channels.)

Digital content planned for the new service is said to include music, education, news/information, along with community affairs and ethnic programming. The largest of the three operators Digital Broadcasting, plans to offer a talk radio channel whose Chinese moniker translates literally to "loud noise" in English.

Public broadcaster Radio-Television Hong Kong (RTHK) has also indicated that it plans to add some DAB+ channels in the very near future.

Public broadcaster Radio-Television Hong Kong (RTHK) has also indicated that it plans to add some DAB+ channels in the very near future.