· Press Release ·

Hutchison Telecom and Basicware AI Form Strategic Alliance with Alibaba Cloud

Hong Kong, 17 June 2026

21 BillionFree AI Tokens

3HK × Alibaba CloudStrategic Partners

70+Global LLMs

21,000Invitation codes

Hong Kong's First · Groundbreaking Strategic Alliance · 21 Billion AI Tokens · 70+ Global LLMs · 21,000 Invitation Codes

Hutchison Telephone Company Limited (branded as 3HK and 3SUPREME), a subsidiary of Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 215), today announced a strategic partnership with AI technology firm Basicware AI Limited (“Basicware AI”) and Alibaba Cloud. It becomes Hong Kong’s first telecom operator to launch an AI Token programme for subscribers. Alibaba Cloud and Basicware AI jointly sponsor a total of 21 billion complimentary AI Tokens: Alibaba Cloud provides 11 billion AI Tokens, while Basicware AI contributes an additional 10 billion platform Tokens. Eligible 3HK and 3SUPREME subscribers can obtain invitation codes free of charge. Via the BasicRouter platform (basicrouter.ai), users gain on-demand access to over 70 leading global Large Language Models (LLMs), allowing them to tangibly experience productivity gains powered by artificial intelligence.

Macro Outlook: The Era of AI Platform Transformation for the Telecom Sector

The global telecommunications industry is undergoing a profound structural shift, evolving from pure connectivity service providers into AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) platforms. This transformation is driven by multiple factors:

Explosive uptake of Generative AI

Global AI consumption is surging. Asia's share of worldwide LLM usage has jumped sharply from 13% to 31%. As the international commercial gateway of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), Hong Kong stands out as a key growth market for AI adoption among enterprises and individual users alike.

Strategic repositioning of telecom operators

Driven by mainstream AI consumption, telecom operators worldwide are actively pivoting from connectivity-only services to AI service platforms. Embedding AI capabilities directly into monthly tariff ecosystems has become a core value-added strategy to lift ARPU and boost subscriber loyalty.

Core logic of AI Token monetisation

Operators are not required to develop underlying large language models in-house. Distributing AI Tokens enables them to deliver cutting-edge AI computing power to subscribers, which simultaneously lifts Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and strengthens customer retention.

Policy support from the HKSAR Government

The Government allocated HK$50 million in the 2026–27 Budget to roll out the "AI for All" initiative, signalling that AI popularisation is a core policy priority for Hong Kong. Demand for AI tools among enterprises continues to rise rapidly.

Against this macro backdrop, Hutchison Telecom's newly announced AI Token programme marks a groundbreaking milestone for Hong Kong's telecommunications sector. It also signals the official arrival of the Telco-as-AI-Platform era within Hong Kong's mobile market.

3HK / 3SUPREMEAlibaba CloudBasicware AI