The Public Telecommunications Service Concession Contract, signed between the Macao SAR Government and CTM, will expire on September 30, 2025. To promote the long-term development of the telecommunications sector, the previous MSAR Government completed the first phase of reform, introducing new provisions to the concession contract. These provisions explicitly state that the assets and investments covered in Article 5 to 7 of the contract will be integrated into the Macao SAR’s assets upon the expiration of the concession contract. To ensure the stability of telecommunications services and in alignment with the facilitation of the Telecommunications Law, the MSAR Government has decided to extend the contract with CTM for a short period.
This short-term extension contract clearly stipulates that the aforementioned assets and investments will be formally integrated into the MSAR’s assets starting from October 1, 2025. To strengthen the MSAR Government’s control over the concession contract, the contract adopts the form commonly known as “one-year fixed contract, one-year living contract”, allowing the MSAR Government to terminate the agreement upon 60 days' prior written notice, effective from October 1, 2026.
Furthermore, to reinforce the principles of “fairness, transparency, and user pays”, the MSAR Government has improved the existing concession duct sharing mechanism in the concession contract, stipulating that part of the concession duct space will be made available free of charge to other qualified telecommunications operators. CTM, as a license holder, must pay for any use of the space exceeding the free portion. The MSAR Government will take the lead in reviewing and approving applications for sharing concession ducts. Qualified telecommunications operators may submit their applications to the Government starting from January 1, 2026.
These measures aim to effectively address long-standing industry concerns regarding the sharing of concession ducts. The MSAR Government expects all operators benefiting from these measures will ultimately pass on the benefits to their customers. Additionally, the MSAR Government has mandated CTM to implement price reductions for individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises, covering a variety of services including commercial fixed telephony , broadband, and leased lines services, in response to public concerns about telecommunications service pricing.
The current Government has been actively advancing the legislative work on the Telecommunications Law. Considering the latest developments in the telecommunications industry, it is planned to adjust some provisions of the draft and will further engage in industry consultations to gather feedback and refine the legislative framework In coordination with these efforts, the Fixed Public Telecommunications Network Licenses will be renewed until September 30, 2027.
Regarding to the above arrangements, the Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau will hold two information sessions on September 22. Representatives from the industry and professional associations will be invited to participate and provide detailed introductions to the respective content. Through collaboration among all parties, a more diverse and higher-quality environment can be created for the telecommunications market.
